“Okay,” the boy agreed after hesitating a moment. “I’m pretty lucky.”
“How about you, Dan? Are you willing to settle it by drawing cuts?”
“That’s fair enough,” Dan agreed. “For that matter, I’m willing to give the part to Ross. Honestly, I feel he’s the better shot.”
“Ross will make an excellent Sheriff of Nottingham,” returned Mr. Hatfield, preparing several strips of paper for the “draw.” “So we’ll decide the matter by lot.”
The Cub leader told the boys that the one who received the shorter stub of paper should be declared winner.
Ross took his turn first. After studying the slips which Mr. Hatfield held half-concealed in his hand, he finally drew one forth.
In length, it appeared fairly short.
Dan’s turn came next. Thinking that Ross already had won, he selected a slip carelessly. To his astonishment, it was a stub end—at least two inches shorter than the paper the other boy had drawn.
“Dan wins!” cried Chips gleefully.
Ross was too crestfallen to speak. He started to say that the contest hadn’t been fair, but choked off the words. After all, he had protested at shooting a second time, and had favored drawing lots.