"'Tis well. Everybody caw. Now!"
There was some racket around that room when we turned ourselves loose. Bill sat there smiling and with his face all flushed up, he was so tickled over what Mr. Norton and Skinny had said.
Then Mr. Norton pulled another badge out of his pocket and started to pin it on Bill's clothes. Bill stopped him.
"It wouldn't be fair, Mr. Norton," said he. "I started out to do my hike and I didn't do it. I know that I did something which was harder but I didn't do that. I wouldn't feel right about wearing the badge until after I had made good."
"What do you say, boys?" asked Mr. Norton, his eyes shining because he was so proud of Bill.
"Bill's all right," said Hank. "We all know that he can do the stunt and that he will do it, but he hasn't done it yet."
Then Benny spoke up.
"Guess what!" said he. "Let's all wait until Bill gets well and does it, before getting our badges. Except Skinny; he's got his."
"Bet your life I'll wait, too," said Skinny.
He started to take the badge off, but we wouldn't let him.