This is how the letter read:
Mr. E. C Ellsworth, Temple Camp.
Dear Sir:—
May I ask you to go to the trouble of forcing open the second locker in my father's house-boat and rescuing a sum of money which I carelessly left there? I think you will find it in an old pair of trousers belonging to me. The amount is a little over two hundred dollars. I would greatly appreciate it if you will hold this in safe keeping till I have a chance to visit your camp. I hope you will not consider that I am presuming upon a very slight acquaintance, in asking you to do me this service.
Sincerely yours,
Lieutenant Harry C. Donnelle. Stationed at Camp Dix, Wrightstown, N. J.
Oh, boy, I wish I could tell you about everything. I don't know what Mr. Ellsworth told the Elks. I should worry about that. He knew how to handle them, you can bet. Oh, bibbie, but he's one peachy scoutmaster! Pretty soon everybody in camp was talking, but I didn't pay any attention. A fellow from Virginia came up and told me they were going to have the spring-board fixed. What do you know about that? I said, "Get out from under and don't bother me; I have something else to think about."
I didn't eat much dinner; maybe you won't believe it, but I didn't. Right afterward I started down to the Hudson. I saw a woodchuck's tracks, but I didn't bother with them. I should worry about woodchucks. I didn't even stop in the village to have a soda. I got some ice cream in a paper, so I could eat it going along. And, oh, boy, when I saw that new flag in among the trees, didn't I just shout! Camp McCord, it said, in big red letters. Oh, they were dandy fellows, those Gold Dust Twins. Then I thought of what Bert said about Camp McCord not striking its colors. I noticed they didn't have their door to the south, but anyway, that didn't matter. The north is all right— sometimes.
I just went running in there pell mell.
"Hurrah for Camp McCord," I shouted. "You were right about not striking your colors, but I'll strike you, all right, you old Bengal Tiger!" And I gave Bert Winton a thump that nearly knocked him over. Good night!