“Maybe he’ll have a tall chance, as tall as the Woolworth Building,” I said; “you’d better keep still. I want to ask Mr. Ellsworth if I can say something—while I’m still Silver Fox leader, that’s all.”
“Surely you may, Roy,” he said, kind of pleasant.
“Because there’s one more thing I’m going to say for my patrol. I—I started that patrol and——”
Oh, gee, then I broke right down, not exactly crying, but you know, there was something in my throat and I just couldn’t talk for a minute.
“Go on, Roy,” Mr. Ellsworth said, and he was awfully nice, I have to admit that.
So I said how I started that patrol and did the best I could and always told the fellows to be loyal and how disgrace spills all over just like Mr. Ellsworth himself told us.
“Anyway, Mr. Ellsworth,” I said, “I can’t say it as good as I’d like to, because—you know——”
“Take your time, Roy,” he said.
“Anyway, you remember how you spoke about the laws.” I was holding tight to the Silver Fox standard and it kind of helped me to speak, and I guess pretty soon my voice didn’t shake. “I know all the laws,” I said, “and I think more about them than I do about stunts and adventures and things——”
“How about baseball?” a fellow said, but I didn’t pay any attention to him, and Mr. Ellsworth frowned at him.