ent to the house-boat. After that our scoutmaster went there
with the key and found about two hundred dollars in your locker. I
don't know whether it was in the old clothes you took off or not. But
anyway, the fellow who's a good friend of mine, says that maybe you'll
send a letter right away as quick as you can and say that that money
belongs to you. So will you please do that? I send you a stamped
envelope so you'll be sure to do it.

Maybe a big fellow that has had a lot of adventures like you, and
nearly lost his life a lot of times and did other dandy things,
wouldn't think it was so much to save a fellow from drowning. But
anyway, there's a medal called the gold cross that we have, and only a
fellow can win it that has saved somebody's life. Maybe it isn't as
much as the Distinguished Service Cross or that French Cross either,
but anyway, its a big honor, that's sure, and we want Skinny to get it.
So will you please answer this letter right away? Maybe you won't
remember, because you have so many adventures, but I'm the fellow you
met on the house-boat. So please answer so we will get it before next
Wednesday. Maybe you've got a lot of important things to do, but if you
could just see Skinny you'd answer quick. Because anyway, you were nice
to me and you said I was a bully little pal. Maybe you won't remember
it, but you did. Anyway, you bet I'll do something for you if I ever
get a chance.

Your friend,

Roy Blakeley.

P.S. Be sure to send the answer as soon as you can.

We wrote the letter up on sunset rock near the camp and as soon as we
got it finished we started off to Catskill, because it would go sooner
than if we mailed it in Leeds. Just as we were passing the pavilion, we
met Connie Bennett and Hunt Ward and Vic Norris.

Connie said, "Well, I suppose you know what your little birthday
present put over on us." He called Skinny a birthday present, because
Westy Martin and I gave Skinny to the Elks when we first found him. "I
suppose you think we were after that two hundred, too. Well, you can
take your little birthday present back. It was a lemon. We got stung."

"If you got what you deserved," I said, "you'd get more than stung."

He said, "Yes?"

"Yes," I said--"Y--e--s--yes! I never said you wanted the money. I know
every one of you is square--Skinny too. Did I ever say you were not? I
said you wanted the cross--that's what I said. And so you did. And I
tell you now that you're going to get it