the hurt. Of
course, it might be a slight sprain, or it might be severe. Don kept
staring at the foot and frowning. Tim, whistling softly under his breath,
changed the compress twice.

"It hasn't swollen much," said Don. "Maybe I could walk on it."

"Here," said Tim; "lean on my arm."

Don hobbled. The pain was slight. He could walk on the foot if he favored
it carefully, but speed was out of the question. He let go of the
supporting arm and sank to the ground.

He was a hindrance--just so much dead weight. Sooner or later the
pursuing scouts would find that they were on a false scent, and would
begin to scour the woods. Mr. Wall had said that the treasure had to be
brought out safely, but he did not say that two scouts had to bring it
out.

Don bent over the ankle. "You'd better make a run for it, Tim."

"What's that?" Tim's eyes opened wide. "How about you?"

"Bring the fellows back for me after you get out. Hurry."

But instead of hurrying, Tim stood still. "Nothing doing," he said.
"You'd stick to me if I were in a fix. I'd be a fine scout to run away,
wouldn't I?"

Don bent lower over the ankle. Once Tim would have gone off promptly and
have taken glory out of individual achievement. Now he stuck. Oh, but
scouting was a great game when fellows played it right!

CHAPTER XI

CLOSE QUARTERS

After a while they bandaged the ankle tightly with wet cloths. Don put on
his shoe but did not lace it. He tried to climb the ravine bank, but that
was a bit too rough. Tim picked him up with a fireman's lift and surged
with him to the top.

That experience set Tim to shaking his head. He could carry the patrol
leader easily enough on the level, but climbing was a vastly harder job.

"Wait here," he said. "I'll see how the ground looks ahead." In ten
minutes he was back. "Two or three ravines. You couldn't make them on
that foot. We'll strike north and follow the brook."

Don puckered his eyes. "If the Eagles and Foxes get scouting around that
will throw us right into them."

"All right," said Tim. "Maybe we'll capture some Eagles and Foxes along
with the cup." He wasn't going to get scared until there was something to
be scared of.

At first Don limped along with one hand on Tim's shoulder. By and by he
found a tree limb that would answer as a cane, and let go the shoulder.

"You scout ahead," he told Tim. "You've got to be the eyes of this party.
We can guard against surprise better if we separate