me to be known, had the field all
to himself, and he turned out to be a mighty "hero maker."

CHAPTER X

PROVEN A SCOUT

The bus came to a stop a hundred feet or so from the ruined bridge and
its passengers, going forward cautiously, looked down shudderingly into
the yawning chasm. For a few seconds the very thought of what might have
happened filled them with silent awe.

Goliath was the first to speak. "It's good Tyson saved our lives, isn't
it?" he piped up. "We'd all be dead, 'wouldn't we?"

"Very dead," said one of the scouts; "so dead we probably wouldn't know
it."

"Wouldn't _know_ it?" asked Goliath, puzzled.

For answer the scout gave him a bantering push and tousled his hair for
him. The little fellow took refuge with one of the scoutmasters.

"Will we get to that camp soon?" he asked.

"Pretty soon, I hope. Perhaps some one will come down and show us the
way."

"Are we lost?"

"No, we're saved."

"I'm glad we're in Tyson's troop, aren't you?"

The scoutmaster laughed. "You bet," he said.

"Are there wild animals in that camp?"

"Scouts are all wild animals," the scoutmaster laughed again.

"Am I a wild animal?"

"Surest thing you know."

"Are you?"

"That's what."

"Is that fellow that's inside lying on the seat--is he dead?"

"No--not dead. But you mustn't go in and bother him."

The scene about the bridge was one of utter ruin. No vestige of the
rustic structure was left; it had probably been carried away in the
first overwhelming rush of water. The flood had subsided by now, and
only a trickle of water passed through the gully. In this, and upon the
sloping banks and the wreckage which had been Ebon Berry's garage, the
scouts climbed about and explored the scene of devastation.

After a while a scoutmaster and several boys arrived from camp by way
of the road. They had fought their way through mud and storm, bringing
stretchers and a first aid kit, in expectation of finding disaster.

"This is not a very cheerful welcome to camp," one of the scoutmasters
said. "The lake broke through up yonder. The boys have checked the flood
with a kind of makeshift dam. We were afraid you had met with disaster.
All safe and sound, are you?"

"Oh, yes, several of our boys went ahead and one of them shouted for us
to stop----"

"That's the one right there," piped up the little fellow. "Maybe he'll
get a reward, hey? Maybe he'll get a prize."

"I guess we're all safe and sound,"