Chatz and Lil Artha could not but notice how particular Elmer was to use the plural pronoun. But then, that was always his way. Whatever faults the boy may have had—and the best of fellows comes far from being perfect—selfishness was not one of them. Impatiently they waited for the coming of the six scouts forming the last detachment. This would increase their roll-call to sixteen, lacking only one of the number that had started out.
Presently a sight of khaki uniforms among the trees announced their near approach.
As the two wings of the Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy Scouts came together, there was a general exchange of badinage.
The newcomers had an intense desire to learn whether their interpretation of the messages might excel that of the first detachment.
But in the midst of the questioning, the startling news concerning Nat Scott's mysterious vanishing began to circulate among the newcomers.
This put a quietus on all business, and the entire troop clustered around Elmer, begging to know what it could mean.
So the scout master, understanding just how his comrades must feel, started in to explain, as far as lay in his power.
First of all, for the benefit of the newcomers, he told of how Nat's disappearance was brought to his attention by Toby and Ty, just before the coming of Matty and his group of scouts.
Then he quickly related what he and Chatz and Lil Artha had done in the deserted buildings close by.
Presently the story was finished, and some of the boys, who had listened with hearts beating much faster than their wont, took the first decent breath in five minutes.