Then Harry put his arm around little Willie Wide-awake’s shoulder, awful nice and friendly like, and he said, “Don’t you mind him, Bill old boy. Let him grouch. Now let’s you and I see what we can find there.”
Gee, he was awful nice and it made me like him a lot. Because, anyway, it showed that even if he was kind of wild and reckless, he could be nice to a little fellow like that. I wish he’d be a scoutmaster, but I don’t believe he ever will. He’s got too many dates. We all looked into the fire and listened when he began.
He said, “I can see old Grouch Gaylong, there, with a fine scout uniform and one of those big long sticks and about ’steen hundred badges; badges for being sarcastic, badges for lying on his back and sticking his feet up in the air, Calamity Jane badges—all kinds. I can see you head of the Church Mice patrol, only the Church Mice have struck it rich. They won’t speak to the Silver Foxes any more. See that long, thin flame? That’s one of their tails.”
“I can see the American flag,” Willie Wide-awake said.
“Sure, Old Glory;—right underneath it is a little kind of a bungalow all fixed up, and a canoe right near it. See the canoe? And I can see a face—yes sir, I can see a face. Mr. Jennis, is it? See, right through the middle of the flame? That’s Mr. Jennis, all right. And——”
“I can see it!” Willie Wide-awake shouted.
“Sure you can,” Harry said, “plain as day——”
“Look! Look!” the little fellow shouted, and he clutched Harry by the arm, all excited. “I see it! It’s real! Look!”
I was looking, too, and I saw it and then I knew. And I wanted, I just wanted to go over and clutch Harry Donnelle by the arm, just like that kid was doing. I could see Brent Gaylong roll over and look, kind of curious, through the blaze. And all the fellows seemed to start, all except Dorry and I. But I didn’t budge, only sat there watching Brent Gaylong. His face looked kind of strange. Then he stood up. And the other face behind the blaze rose up, too. And Jib Jab was standing there and the fire was shining on his face. And even I could see the twinkle in his eye.
Then I heard Harry Donnelle speak and his voice sounded queer, because it was so still around there. And there wasn’t any sound except the fire crackling.