"You're a fine lot of boys, let me tell you!" he declared, with deep feeling; "and I wouldn't accept your sacrifice only for my mother's sake. They ought to know the happy news as soon as possible. Every minute that I'm delayed is just so much more suffering for my dear parents; and a sweet girl too that I was going to marry when that accident came about. But I'll never forget it, fellows; and you'll hear from the Oxley family later on."
"Not a word about any money reward, suh!" cried Chatz, sternly; "we're scouts, and we'd scorn to accept anything in the way of pay for doing a thing like this. It's given us a heap more pleasure than anything that's happened for many moons, believe me, suh!"
"And to think," added Toby, with a beaming smile on his face, "my remarkable parachute came near holding up double weight. I really believe if only Mr. Oxley here hadn't managed to strike his head on that cornice when he fell, both of us would have landed without a scratch. And let me tell you that I think it's already shown what a life-saver it's bound to be."
"Hurrah for Jones, the greatest after Edison this country has ever produced," cried Lil Artha, pretending to wave his hat furiously.
They were soon all at work, and the tents came down with a rush, for long experience along these lines had made Elmer and his scouts clever hands at anything pertaining to camp life. Nancy was hitched up, and the wagon loaded. They made a comfortable seat with the tents and the blankets for the injured young man; and before an hour had elapsed, after finishing that last meal, they had said good-bye to the haunted house, and were on their way.
It was a long though not uninteresting afternoon ride; because they were passing over a district that was practically new to them.
Presently they overtook a young woman who was tripping along ahead of them. Just as Elmer was about to ask her something about the Oxleys she gave a shriek, and rushing to the tail-end of the wagon commenced to reach out toward the wounded passenger, calling his name in great excitement.
It developed, of course, that this was the same girl Ralph had been about to marry at the time of his unfortunate accident; and her wild delight at finding that the missing one had not only been found, but was restored to his proper senses as by a miracle, can better be imagined than described.
Shortly afterwards they turned in at the fine Oxley farm, and it was not long before the greatest excitement came about that had been known in that region for many a month. The mother had her boy in her arms, and was trying to laugh and cry at the same time; the father came running madly to the spot; and what with dogs barking, and people shouting, persons passing must have thought a lunatic asylum had broken loose.
The boys did not linger long after they had seen the family reunited; though everybody wanted to shower them with thanks, and praise for their having brought such happiness to the bereft home of the Oxleys. And Ralph assured them that he and the young woman who was to be his wife would certainly drive over to see the Hickory Ridge folks just as soon as he was able to be about again.