But he was too late. When I got inside his undershirt, there on a buckskin cord was hanging something that we had seen before. At least, it either was the message of the Elk Patrol or else a package exactly like it.
"Is that yours?" I asked.
"Maybe yes, and maybe no. Why?" he growled.
"Because if it isn't, we'd like to know where you got it."
"And if you don't tell, we'll go on and let you be," snapped little Jed.
"Shut up," I ordered—which wasn't the right way, but I said it before I thought. Jed had made me angry. "No, we won't." And we wouldn't. Our duty was to fix him the best we could. "But that looks like something belonging to us Scouts, and it has our private mark on it. We'd like to have you explain where you got it."
"He's got to explain, too," said little Jed, excited.
"Have I?" grinned the man, hurting his face. "Why so?"
"There are three of us kids. We can keep sight of you till that Ranger comes back. He'll make you."
"Who?"