He walked up amid a perfect silence, and saluted the two leaders, who now stood side by side.
'Look here, Dick,' he began—and his voice shook a little—'I heard, by accident, of this march to meet you, and I took the chance of coming when the patrols were together. I'm awfully sorry I made such an ass of myself in the beginning. I've been miserable every day since I left the patrol, and I should like, above everything, to get back to it. I know I behaved badly to Slynn, and insulted him, when he had given me no cause at all. I'm sorry, Slynn. Will you shake hands?'
'Won't I?' roared Chippy, his honest face ablaze with pleasure and friendship. 'An' proud to—prouder 'n I can tell yer.' And the two lads clasped each other's hands in a hearty grip, while both patrols gave vent to their excitement in a tremendous outburst of the scouts' chorus, stamping their feet and clashing their staves together in joyous uproar.
Every boy had been touched deeply by Arthur's speech. His pale face and shining eyes had told of the effort it had cost him to make it, and now everybody set up as much noise as he could to celebrate the reconciliation, and to work off the constraint of the moment.
When Chippy dropped Arthur's hand, Dick seized it.
'I'm jolly glad to see you back, Arthur, old chap,' he cried. 'We shall be delighted to have you in the patrol once more.'
'Thanks awfully, Dick,' said Arthur. 'I heard No. 8 had gone. If I can only get his place, that's what I should like.'
'It's yours, old fellow,' said Dick, 'and long may you wave!'
'H-o-n-k!' A long blast of the motor-horn warned the patrol that Mr. Elliott's car was close upon them. The scouts recognised their instructor seated beside the driver, and formed up to receive him with the full salute.
'I see you've got a guard of honour back to town,' laughed Dick's father, as he brought the car up between the two lines of scouts.