be
a fish yarn, yet it ith all to the good. I really believe you've gone
and figured it out, Elmer. And if that ith tho, it ith going to be
another big feather in your cap, don't you forget it."

"We ought to be close to where you left the rest of the boys, by now,"
suggested the scout master, desirous of changing the conversation, for,
strange to say, Elmer never liked to hear himself praised.

"I reckon we are," replied Ted. "Suppothe you try your whistle, and give
'em a call."

So the patrol leader's whistle was brought into play again. Hardly had
it sounded than there came an answer from a point not far distant.

"There they are!" cried Ted, pointing, "I thee Red waving hith hat to
uth right now. We'll join 'em in a jiffy, if the walking ith good."

It proved to be decent enough for the two climbers to reach the spot
where Matty and the rest of the troop awaited them.

"I'm all in, Elmer," admitted the leader of the Beaver Patrol, as he
threw up both hands in disgust. "Just as I said, it was all hunk till I
struck the rocks, and I've been up in the air ever since."

"Yes, Matty has even hinted that he believes those Italians must have
had wings somewhere around here, and just flown away," laughed Chatz.

"Well, that wouldn't be so very queer," declared Toby Jones, always
thinking of things touching on aviation. "It's a bully good place to
make a start, anyway, if a feller only had the wings."

"Yes, and a gay old place to bring up on all the rocks down there. And
how about our chum Nat; he never had any longing to soar through the
air. But tell us what's doing, Elmer," said Red, impatiently.

"Oh, he's got lots to tell you," declared Ted, with the air of a highly
favored one who had been already taken into the great secret.

Of course his words stirred the scouts as nothing else could have done.
They crowded around and began to beg for particulars.

"Where's Lil Artha?" one questioned.

"And Mark?" exclaimed another.

"Say, Elmer, did she come back, and step into the nice little trap you
were going to get ready?" asked a third scout, with intense interest
aroused.

When Elmer nodded his head they broke out into a rousing boyish cheer.

"Tell us all about it, Elmer," was flung at the scout master from all
quarters.

As this was Elmer's intention anyway he lost no time in briefly though
forcibly describing all that had taken place down below.

"And now I want George to go down with Ted, here," El