If we were to follow these thirty-odd boys as their flotilla of canoes glided up the placid bosom of the beautiful lake on their homeward way, there would be no space for the one or two incidents which have yet to be told. The two troops parted at the head of the lake, where the Oakwood boys took the train for New York.
While they were bidding good-by to the Albany scouts, with many plans for a joint camp the next summer, Frankie confided a dark secret in Harry’s ear. “Atwell and Brownell sent me into the lean-to for the bottle of citronella the other night, the mosquitoes were so thick.”
“Yes? They say it’s great stuff to rub on your face,” answered Harry.
“Of course, it was dark,” said Frankie.
“Was, hey?” said Harry, carelessly.
“I brought them out a bottle of ink,” Frankie concluded. “They didn’t find it out till after they’d used it.”
CHAPTER XXIV
MR. DANFORTH HAS HIS WAY
At Albany a boy boarded the train with a huge basket of sandwiches, each neatly wrapped in paraffin paper, and Red Deer successfully negotiated with him for his entire stock. As a scout never throws papers about wantonly, either indoors or out, it fell out that these papers were held by their various possessors until Gordon conceived the notion of gathering them up.
“What you up to now, Kid?” asked Tom Langford, as Gordon stopped at his seat.
“Tickets, please,” said Gordon, grabbing the paraffin paper and passing on.