“You looked sort of pale when I came in, Rob,” he chuckled, “but you’ve got plenty of color now.”
Rob, boy-like, looked embarrassed and changed the subject rather abruptly.
“Everything fixed for that meeting at headquarters to-night?” he asked.
A rather odd look passed over the fat boy’s face.
“Oh yes, it’s all ready,” he said with rather a marked emphasis on the words.
“Good; you and Merritt must have worked hard.”
“We’ve all taken our part. The hall looks bully. It’ll be dandy to have you around again.”
The meeting the boys referred to was the regular weekly meeting of the patrol. But when Rob reached the hall above the bank that night he felt rather astonished to find that chairs and stools had been arranged all over the spacious hall, and that decorations consisting of the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Patrol flags were strung everywhere. Off the main hall opened the Scouts’ gymnasium and general store room. In this room Rob found his Scouts assembled. They greeted him with a cheer as he appeared. Rob began to feel uneasy. He hated anything like that, but he took the congratulations that were showered upon him in the spirit in which they were offered.
When he found an opportunity he drew Merritt aside.
“What are all the chairs arranged outside for?” he asked suspiciously.