h was going down in the bus to
catch the eleven-ten train. They said he was going to stop at Camp
McCord for Skinny. "He's likely to get a home-made doughnut thrown at
his head," one of them said, and they all laughed. I just couldn't
listen to them.

After the mail was distributed and I saw there wasn't anything for me,
I just went in and said to Slaty, I said, "Are you _sure_ there isn't
anything? Would you mind looking again?" I knew it wasn't any use and I
guess he did too, but anyway, he looked and said no.

Then I started back to Silver Fox Cabin. I guess I never felt worse
than I did then. First I thought I'd just go and beg Mr. Ellsworth not
to take Skinny away from Camp McCord, anyway, even if he couldn't have
the cross. I was hanging my head and just kind of wandering along and
wondering what I'd say to Bert and the twins. I could just sort of see
that new flag with Camp McCord on it, and I could hear Bert saying,
"Camp McCord doesn't strike its colors as easily as all that." Anyway,
what more could I do. I knew Mr. Ellsworth would be nice to me, but
that he wouldn't do anything just because _I_ wanted him to. I said to
myself, "It's all up; nobody can do anything now. Skinny was born
unlucky--poor little kid--"

All of a sudden I stumbled plunk into Pee-wee as he came pell-mell
around the corner of the big pavilion.

"What in--" I began.

"_I've got it for you! I've got it for you!_" he shouted; "forty-nine
minutes, scout pace! _I beat my record!_ I thought maybe it wouldn't
come in the reg--in the reg--in the reg--" He was so out of breath he
couldn't talk.

"There's a sec--there's a sec--there's a second train; here--"

And then he handed me a letter.

"There--there are--two," he said; "this--one's--for you."

My hand trembled so I could hardly open the envelope. And, honest, I
could hardly speak to him. I just blurted out, "Pee-wee, you're the
bulliest little scout in this camp--you and your scout pacing! You're
just the best little scout that ever was. Give me your hand, you bully
little raving Raven. Talk about good turns! Oh, Pee-wee, you're just--"

Honest, I couldn't finish. And I stood there with my eyes all sort of
wet, and watched him start up again scout pace.

"See you later," he called back; "I want to make Administration Shack
in fifty minutes."

That was him all over.

This was the letter and, oh, boy, you bet I'll always keep it, because
that was my lucky day. Even since then