Landy was certainly badly frightened. The grave manner in which the patrol leader said this with regard to the ivy poisoning seemed to add to his alarm. Some of the boys afterwards declared that his knees knocked together, but this the fat boy always indignantly denied.
Nevertheless it was with an almost plaintive expression that he proceeded to inquire further about his prospects.
"Poison ivy, you say, Elmer? Was that the stuff growing around that tree we rubbed up against? But Adam was in just as deep as I was; why don't his face burn and turn red like mine?" he asked, as though he considered it rank injustice that he should be picked out as a victim, when another, equally guilty, went scot-free from harm.
"That's the queer thing about poison ivy," replied Elmer. "While it's bound to act on most people, more or less, a few can handle it without any bad result."
"That's so," broke in Ty just then. "Why, I've known fellers that would begin to itch and burn if they even set eyes on the old stuff, and I reckon I'm liable to get a little turn myself; had one spell and they kept doctoring me for a week at home. Hand full of little water blisters, and I had to be mighty careful, for when they broke they poisoned wherever the fluid ran. Wow, hope I don't get it again, that's all!"
"Oh, my goodness gracious! What's going to become of me, then?" gasped poor Landy. "Because I've been crazy enough to rub it all over my face. Me for the hospital, I guess!"
"Wait!"
It was Ted who said this, and somehow the very confident tone in which he spoke awakened a wild hope in the heart of the lad who was in trouble.
"Oh, Ted, can you do anything for me?" he asked, eagerly, transferring his attention from Elmer to the other, who had arisen after listening to all that had been said, and now approached the group.
"Let me look at you firtht," remarked the budding doctor of the troop, gravely.