proud. A lot
of grown people were standing around too, staring at us and laughing. I
guess they thought our big sign looked pretty funny.

One man said, "Is the civilian population going to be spared?"

I said, "The civilized population is going to be spared, but if there
are any ice cream cones in this berg they're going to die a horrible
death. Plant our banner in the village green," I said to Warde, "and
all gather around your gallant leader."

The man said, "How do you feel about peanut brittle?"

"No peanut brittle can get past us," I told him. "We eat it alive."

Oh, boy, there was some excitement. The next thing we knew a box of
peanut brittle was going round. There was a crowd of people all around
watching and reading what it said on our standard and laughing. Most
always that's the way it is with people when they see scouts. Somebody
kicked a grocery box over to where we were and the man called,
"_Speech_, _speech_." I got up on the box and I said:

"Don't anybody be afraid, we're not going to hurt you."

A girl that was standing there said, "The idea! Did you ever hear of
such a thing? _Hurt us?_ Do you think we're afraid of a patrol of boy
scouts?"

I said, "You knowest not what thou sayest, girl. We've devastated the
whole country from Blakeley's Hill to this spot. The only thing we've
left alive is the grass. And even that we trod under our feet."

"We're _invincible_!" Pee-wee shouted. "Do you know what that is?"

"Do you think I haven't got a dictionary, Mr. Smarty?" she said.

I said, "Silence. Take a demerit. Where is the police department of this
town?"

Somebody shouted, "He's home eating his supper. Do you want to go and
see him?"

I said, "No, we want him to come and see us. Can't you see from our sign
we're on a bee-line hike?"

Somebody shouted, "He's at supper. Do you have to see him?"

I said, "No, the army and navy will do just as well; we're not
particular. Wait till I consult with my official staff."

I couldn't understand what my official staff said because his mouth was
full of peanut brittle. "Here's the box, eat that too," I said.

Then I said good and loud, "We have an important communication to
address to the police department. We've caught a bandit----"

"We've got him bound with fetters," the kid shouted.

"Give me that phonograph horn," I told him; "the crowd is growing
bigger."

Good night, that was the end of me. I was superseded like a general in
the thir