"Not much. I said supper was ready and that if you didn't get a move on yourselves you would lose out."
"Ain't there going to be a fight?"
Just then Ma came out and it was a good thing she did, because there might have been a fight, after all.
"Boys," said she, smiling at us, "you are all invited to stay to supper, and you will just about have time to wash up and cool off a little. We are having supper early to-night. I was so disappointed when I found out that you had gone that your patrol leader, Captain Miller, told me that he would signal to you and that Corporal Wilson would get you here on time if he had to run his legs off. I don't exactly see how he did it but you are here, that is certain. I've let your folks know, so you can stay just as well as not, unless you don't like my cooking."
When she said that the boys set up a shout, for they knew all about Ma's cooking.
"I wish you would tell me how you do it," she added, turning back as she was going into the house. "If your secretary would come like that when I call him, I should be the proudest woman in the village."
CHAPTER V
A CAMPFIRE ON BOB'S HILL