Tom Slade on the River

  CHAPTER IX A NEW KIND OF FIRST AID

  Garry sat outside the little makeshift shack which he and Jeffrey andRaymond occupied, and whittled as Arnold strode along the beaten pathtoward the main body of camp. He was still whittling when Raymond andJeff returned from the shore, their arms laden with willow branches.

  "Kiddo," he said to Raymond, "suppose you get me that other shirt ofyours and I'll sew up that tear. I've got to fix my own, too. We're notvery strong on clothes, are we?"

  "I'll buy us all clothes," put in Jeffrey. "When I get my own scout suitI'll get new ones for you and Raymond--I'll have thousands of dollars."

  "All right," laughed Garry. "You put some water boiling now, whileRaymond peels the potatoes, so we can have grub. Then come over here andtalk to me while I do the family mending."

  Raymond busied himself with preparations for supper and Jeffrey sat downon the ground close to Garry.

  "I'm glad we're here by ourselves, aren't you?" he said, "and I'm goingto give you two thousand dollars for letting me be in your class."

  "Class?"

  "I mean, patrol."

  "Now you see if you can't remember that word _patrol_ so I don't have toremind you. And what was the other thing--just think."

  "About money?" asked Jeffrey, doubtfully.

  "Right. Try to remember never to promise people money--especiallyscouts--because they don't like it. Now hand me that other spool ofthread."

  "But it's fine to be rich, isn't it?"

  "It's better to be a scout. Any headache today, Jeff?"

  "No."

  "Well, now see if you can remember how many willow canes you've carvedaltogether."

  "Eleven."

  "Right. You're going to get the memory badge pretty soon."

  "Do they have a memory badge?"

  "Now, tell me what you and I and Raymond did the day beforeyesterday--just before grub."

  "Played mumbly-peg."

  "And who won?"

  "You did--but I'm not going to give you a hundred dollars like I said."

  "Wasn't it a thousand?"

  "No, it was a hundred--you can't fool me."

  "Which was it, kiddo?" Garry called to Raymond.

  "A hundred," said Raymond.

  "All right. Now see if you can remember the first time you ever saw TomSlade."

  "That night on the hill."

  "Sure?"

  "Yes."

  "And what's going to be the name of our--class?"

  "Patrol," corrected Jeff.

  "Oh yes, patrol."

  "The Tigers."

  "I tell you what--you're getting to have a crackerjack memory.

  "Now turn your face around there so I can see it by the light of thefire. Put some more twigs on, kidlet, it's beginning to get dark. I wantto be able to see if you're just joshing me. This is an important matter.When I was up at commissary shack for salt and things I was noticing thethings on the bulletin board."

  "I saw that about the Elks birthday party," interrupted Jeffrey.

  "Well, did you see that one about the new rowboat being in the lake andasking everybody to vote on a name for it?"

  "No."

  "Well, now----"

  "Will we go to that dinner party?" Jeffrey interrupted.

  "I'm not so sure about that," said Garry, "but anyway, we'll each of usvote a name for the new boat and I'll drop them in the ballot box up atcamp in the morning. What do you say?"

  "I vote 'Buster'!" called Raymond, who was poking up the fire.

  "I vote 'Queen'!" said Jeffrey, excitedly.

  "Well, those are two punk names! 'Queen' isn't so bad, but 'Buster'suggests busting, and a boat that would bust--go-o-dnight!"

  Jeffrey stared at Garry. His face was right in the glare of the fire andthough his look was of that vacant character which all the boys hadnoticed, it seemed less pronounced than it had been when he came toTemple Camp. Perhaps the quiet, even life in the solitude under thesesheltering trees, with the tranquil lake hard by, was really showing itseffect, as Mr. Waring had evidently hoped that it would do; perhaps thewholesome companionship of these other boys was already beginning totell; it was a new kind of First-Aid at all events, and one quite outsideof Doc Carson's sphere. Or it may have been that Jeffrey was juststartled into a livelier interest, as he had often been lately, atsomething that was said.

  "Now," said Garry, "I'm going to tell you my vote. And if there's aprize, I think I'll win it. I vote to name the new dory--_Nymph_."

  Jeffrey's eyes were fixed on Garry with an intense wondering stare andGarry, looking quizzically at him, said, "Isn't that a peach of a name?"

  "It's--it's--somebody else thought of it--it----" Jeffrey's utterancefizzled out in another stare.

  "And speaking of boats, how about it, Jeff, do you think you could walkas far as Catskill Landing--seven full grown miles?"

  "Sure I can! Didn't I----"

  "Well, then, by jingoes, if tomorrow's clear, we'll take that longpromised hike--just you and me----"

  "Not Raymond?"

  "Nope--just you and me; and we'll have a squint at that wonderful boat ofyours, hey? And then I'll show you the Bridgeboro Troop's boat, even ifwe have to trespass, and I'll tell you all about it."

  Jeffrey grew excited at once.

  "Are you--are you sure you won't change your mind?" he demanded.

  "Surest thing you know."

  "Those fellows don't take any interest in my boat," Jeffrey said.

  "Well, I do," said Garry, "what was the name of that game? I can't seemto remember it."

  "Mumbly-peg," said Jeffrey, contemptuously.

  "Well, there's no use getting excited about it," laughed Garry.