?" She was almost
crying. I knew if she started to cry we'd have to let her go.

I said, "You claim you're a good scout and I say you're as good a one as
I ever saw. You saved a scout's life by doing a good turn and I guess
that's enough. But the principal thing about scouting is to finish what
you begin. That's why we're here. It doesn't make any difference whether
it's a hike or a dinner or a--tournament or what. If you begin it you've
got to finish it. If you're a quitter you're no scout. Maybe you like to
risk your life and I know you don't risk your life playing tennis. But
just the same that's _your_ bee-line hike for to-day."

"I _hate_ tennis," she said.

I said, "Yes, but you don't hate bee-line hikes and if you're supposed
to be in a tournament to-day then that's your bee-line hike. And if you
don't finish your hike you're a quitter. See?"

"I'm _not_ a quitter," she said.

"I know you're not," I told her. "So you're going back to finish the
tournament and get some practice because to-morrow afternoon I'm coming
over to Little Valley to beat you."

"_Playing tennis?_" she said.

"That's what," I told her.

"I can beat you with my left hand," she said.

"All right," I said, "I'm coming over to-morrow to find out. You go home
and practice. You finish your bee-line hike and we'll finish ours and
to-morrow afternoon at two o'clock----"

"Will you be sure to be there?" she said.

"Positively guaranteed," I told her. "Good-by."

"Why don't you say 'so long' like you do to boys?" she wanted to know.

"So long, see you later," I called.

She was awful funny, that girl.

CHAPTER XXXIII

FROGS AND HATS

One by one we let ourselves down that rope. The only hard part was
keeping hold where it went over the edge of the slanting shelf. The
cliff was sheer up and down just like Warde had said. But that was the
end of our troubles with Nature. Gee whiz, I can get along with Nature
all right, but when it comes to farmers--just you wait.

We were mighty glad to see Warde all safe and sound. I said, "Warde,
you're the gamest scout that ever lived, but you're reckless. If we had
stopped to think we would never have let you go down on that shelf."

He said, "I'm not a scout yet, remember."

"Remember nothing," I told him. "If you keep on, and live through it,
I'll have an Eagle Scout in my patrol, I can see that."

"You're never killed till you're killed," Warde said.

"You have to thank that Da