the county authorities in Bridgeboro should
be informed that this Blythe was none other than Claude Darrell....

CHAPTER XXIV

THE WARNING

They talked late and their decision before turning in was that the three
patrol leaders, Roy, Connie Bennett and Arthur Van Arlen should go to
Bridgeboro late in the afternoon and tell their scoutmaster, Mr.
Ellsworth, of their discovery. They chose the emissaries with the
intention of putting the responsibility upon their leaders where it
belonged, and also with the thought of having the three patrols
participate equally in what seemed an odious thing, view it as they
would.

Pee-wee voiced the general sentiment when he said, "Gee, something is
all the time happening to prove he's the one they're after, and then all
of a sudden something happens so as to kind of make us like him and
trust him more. Anyway, I think he didn't know what he was doing, and I
like him and I'm not afraid to say so." And he added, "The Silver Foxes
are crazy if it comes to that."

"They're crazy about you, Kid," Roy said in forced good humor and
ruffling his hair for him.

In the morning, to their utter astonishment, Blythe arose as usual,
gathered chips for the breakfast fire, and sat among them, drinking his
coffee, and eating the bacon which Roy had cooked, as if nothing had
happened.

He seemed to expect the usual entertainment of wit and wisdom from Roy
and Pee-wee, and he smiled in his old way when Roy said with a poor
attempt at mirth, "Let's finish up the egg powder, we'll all scramble
for scrambled eggs." Blythe heard only the pleasantry, but to the others
the reminder that it was their last breakfast there was cheering.

Altogether they were not at all satisfied with themselves though they
knew that what they were going to do was nothing less than their plain
duty. Their new friendship, their fine plans of a helpful turn, bringing
pleasure and profit, had ended in a sordid mess. Duties are funny
things....

They had no heart for work that morning, but it was easier to work than
to do nothing. The three messengers wished not to go to Bridgeboro until
afternoon because their scoutmaster would be there then. They would feel
easier and less contemptible telling this thing to him than to the
authorities.

After breakfast Blythe was the first at work. His energy was never equal
to his willingness, but on this morning, perhaps because the others
seemed half-hearted, he was up on th