He was the oddest of odd numbers, a stormy petrel
indeed, and they did not know how to take him.

So he was alone amid three hundred scouts....

CHAPTER XXXII

OVER THE TOP

Tom had waited patiently for Hervey to arrive. His propensity for _not_
arriving had troubled Tom. But whether by chance or otherwise there he
was, and Tom lost no time in getting to his feet.

"Before the court closes," he said, "I want to ask to have a blank
filled out to be sent to the National Honor Court, on a claim for the
Gold Cross award. I would like to get it endorsed by the Local Council
to-day so it will get to National Headquarters Monday."

You could have heard a pin drop in that room. The magic words Gold Cross
brought every whispering, dallying scout to attention. There was a
general rustle of straightening up in seats. The continuous departing
ceased. Faces appeared at the open windows.

_The Gold Cross._

Mr. Denny looked at Tom. The young assistant, in his usual negligee, was
very offhand and thoroughly at ease. He seemed to know what he was
talking about. All eyes were upon him.

"If you want the detailed statements of the three witnesses written out,
that can be done. But the National Court will take the recommendation
without that if it's endorsed by the Local Council. That was done in the
case of Albert Nesbit, who won the Gold Cross here three years ago. I'd
rather do it that way."

"What is the name, Mr. Slade?"

"Willetts--Hervey Willetts. You spell it with two T's."

"This can be done without witnesses, on examination, Mr. Slade."

"The winner isn't a good subject for examination," said Tom; "I think
the witnesses would be better."

"Just so."

"I might say," said Tom, "that this is the first chance I've had to tell
about this thing. On the night of the storm I sent Willetts from the
cove and told him to catch the bus and stop it before it reached the
bridge. I didn't think he could do it but I didn't say so. He had two
miles to go through the storm, running all the way. The wind was in his
face. Of course we all know what the storm was. His scoutmaster had told
him not to leave camp. If this was an emergency then it comes under
By-law Twenty-seven. You'll have to decide that. It was on account of
the flood I took him, not on account of the bus. The lake was running
out."

"Did he reach the bus?" Mr. Fuller asked.

"He reached the bus, but he doesn't know how. The last he remembered is
that