ther they were pleasant or not. To go to the
rescue had been no more than their duty as Scouts, and no Scout is ever
supposed to stop and think about personal likes or dislikes when he has
a chance to be of service to anyone in trouble or danger and needs help
a Scout can give.

Jack, looking around for Pete Stubbs after he had been off to bring up
a fresh supply of dry firewood, since the wood all about the fire
itself was damp and too wet to burn with the bright heat that was
needed to dry the clothes of the victims of the fire, found that his
red-headed chum was missing. The two women, in fact, were the only
ones about. He looked in surprise for the men of the party, and then
spoke.

"Your friends haven't gone off without their clothes?" he said.

"No," replied the older woman. "They've just gone off to have a look
at the launch, and they look like red Indians. I'm sure our clothes
are taking long enough to dry--and when we get them, I suppose we'll
have to walk miles and miles to get anywhere!"

"We're lucky to be able to walk at all," said the girl, interrupting,
then. "I think we ought to be very grateful, Mrs. Broom, instead of
complaining so much about what's a very little discomfort, anyhow."

Jack liked her for that speech, as he had already liked her for the
pluck she had shown. But before he could answer her, he was seized
suddenly from behind, and a cloth was thrown over his head, so that he
could not cry out. He heard the girl scream, and one of the men shout
roughly to her to keep out and not interfere. Then he was carried away
swiftly.

But his captivity did not last very long. Before he had been carried
more than a hundred paces the man who was carrying his head stumbled
suddenly, and, cursing, went down in a heap. The one behind, who had
Jack's feet, fell over him, and Jack, active as a cat, worked himself
free in a second, and twisted the bag from his head.

"Soak 'em, Jack!" cried a cheery voice, and he realized that Pete
Stubbs, alarmed in some way, had been ready to rescue him, and had
seized the exact moment to do it. Now Pete, with a cry of exultation,
snatched the blankets from the two men, who were struggling with one
another on the ground, and ran off with them.

"Get their clothes, Jack!" he shouted. "They were carrying them in a
bundle. They can't go very far that way."

Jack laughed as he saw the dark bundle of clothes and picked it up.
Then he ran swiftly after Pet