"Who says so?" Vic shouted.
"I say so," I told him. "You don't hear Mr. Ellsworth around saying mean things about Skinny, do you? You leave Mr. Ellsworth out of it It's none of your business what he does. Even if Skinny does go back, the least you can do is keep still about it. You don't hear those tigers around talking, do you? I guess not. Or my patrol either. You keep your mouths shut about Skinny!"
Then I went over to Administration Shack to wait for the mail to be sorted. The reason I didn't say more to Vic and Hunt was just because I was getting discouraged, and in my heart I thought maybe Skinny would have to go. I knew that Camp McCord was no use if Mr. Ellsworth said he must go back.
I was glad I didn't say any more, because anyway, there was no letter there.
CHAPTER XXXIX
TELLS ABOUT HOW CAMP MC CORD DIDN'T STRIKE ITS COLORS
There were a lot of us hanging around Administration Shack, and I heard a couple of fellows say that Mr. Ellsworth was going down in the bus to catch the eleven-ten train. They said he was going to stop at Camp McCord for Skinny. "He's likely to get a home-made doughnut thrown at his head," one of them said, and they all laughed. I just couldn't listen to them.
After the mail was distributed and I saw there wasn't anything for me, I just went in and said to Slaty, I said, "Are you sure there isn't anything? Would you mind looking again?" I knew it wasn't any use and I guess he did too, but anyway, he looked and said no.
Then I started back to Silver Fox Cabin. I guess I never felt worse than I did then. First I thought I'd just go and beg Mr. Ellsworth not to take Skinny away from Camp McCord, anyway, even if he couldn't have the cross. I was hanging my head and just kind of wandering along and wondering what I'd say to Bert and the twins. I could just sort of see that new flag with Camp McCord on it, and I could hear Bert saying, "Camp McCord doesn't strike its colors as easily as all that." Anyway, what more could I do. I knew Mr. Ellsworth would be nice to me, but that he wouldn't do anything just because I wanted him to. I said to myself, "It's all up; nobody can do anything now. Skinny was born unlucky—poor little kid—"
All of a sudden I stumbled plunk into Pee-wee as he came pell-mell around the corner of the big pavilion.