"Make one long one first to call their attention," he said, quite aroused by the novel enterprise.
"Yes?" said Nick, half interested apparently. "Who told you that?"
"I--I just knew it. I know now--let me do it--it's easy. Only they have to be careful over there. That's--that's the hard part. I hope they have a--one of those books over there--and then--maybe--I hope they keep it open at page two hundred and eighty-four. Let me try it--"
"Ned give you one of those books?"
"N--no, I--I saw one."
"Hmm."
"Well, let's get busy with the message, Pete."
Nick Vernon did not seem greatly interested in where or when or how Peter had seen the handbook, nor how he happened to remember page two hundred and eighty-four. But one thing Nick Vernon knew (it was a reflection on Scoutmaster Ned and just exactly like him) and that was that there was not a single copy of the scout handbook on Frying-pan Island.