. You heard your patrol leader tell you to get
into the skiff. Do you think you know better than they do, what is best
for you?"

Even still he didn't pay any attention, he was so excited. "Now am I a
hero?" he said.

"No, you are not a hero," Mr. Ellsworth told him; "and you will go
inside and get your uniform on. The first duty of a scout is to obey
his leader, and you have failed to do that. You are very much mistaken
as to the meaning of heroism, and it wasn't necessary to bring us any
proof that you got the candy or whatever that is. Scouts are not in the
habit of lying and deceiving. We expect always to believe you without
proof. Throw that away and go inside and get your clothes on."

Gee, maybe he was right, but anyway, I felt mighty sorry for Skinny.
His eyes were all full of tears and he went over to the rail and threw
the sticky jaw-breaker out into the water. I I could see by his neck
that he was gulping and trying not to cry and, oh, boy, it made me feel
bad. It seemed as if it was always that way with him--that he had to be
disappointed and that things never came out right with him. Anyway, I
said to myself, it's Connie's fault, and all the rest of the Elks are
to blame, too. Why didn't they tell him in the beginning about those
other things. All they cared about was showing their new member off to
the rest of the troop, and you see how it ended.

First I thought I'd go in and talk to Skinny and tell him he was a
wonder, for that was just what he was, and Mr. Ellsworth knew it, too.
Then I decided that I'd better not on account of Connie. And anyway, I
wouldn't have any right to go in and spoil what our scoutmaster said,
would I?

CHAPTER XI

TELLS YOU HOW TO GET TO TEMPLE CAMP

Gee whiz, I wouldn't say anything against the Elks, that's sure,
because they're all peachy scouts when you come right down to it, but I
have to admit that they're crazy about stunts. They have more merit
badges in their patrol than there are in the Ravens and Silver Foxes
put together. Hunt Ward's sleeve looks like one of those Indian totem
poles, there are so many badges on it. Anyway, I should worry, we have
twenty-two badges in our patrol, and more good turns in the troop book
than either of the other patrols. That's what counts, too--good turns.

The trouble with the Elks was that every time they got a new fellow, he
must take a header for some badge or other and most always he would
have two or three stunt badge