"Say," said she, "maybe I'd walk, too, if anybody asked me; that is, if Grandpa would let me and it wouldn't make any difference with the Scouts."
"Come on, do," said Skinny. "May she, Mr. Richmond?"
"Well," said he, "seein' as how you've got a rope and it ain't very far, I'm willin'. But it will be mighty lonesome for me."
I never saw Skinny so chesty as he was over catching that bear. And he had a right to be, for everybody was talking about it and there was a long piece in the paper. He even wanted to change the name of Raven Patrol to the Bears, but we wouldn't stand for that. We didn't know how to make a noise like a bear, anyway.
After that the folks told us to keep away from Savoy Mountain, rope or no rope, and we had to do it. But Skinny wanted to go back and get a bear for each of us.
"I think that our patrol leader has made good," said Mr. Norton, when Skinny had finished. "What I'm wondering is, who was the most frightened, Gabriel or the bear?"
"The bear was," said Skinny; "anyhow, after I jumped on him. Say, I'll bet you fellers wouldn't dast jump on a live bear, when he was growling and showing his teeth. It was great, just like jumping on a cushion, only the bear didn't like it very well."
The other boys didn't have much to tell, much that was exciting, I mean, but Mr. Norton made us all report what we did. Hank came last of all.
"Well, Henry," said Mr. Norton, "what have you to say for yourself? You went to Cheshire by the river road, I believe?"
"How about that new invention, Hank?" I asked. I'd forgotten all about it until then.