I hunted for Skinny for a couple of hours, but I couldn't find him. I went all the way into Leeds for I couldn't think where else he'd be, if he wasn't around camp. But he wasn't in the village, that was sure, and I began to get kind of anxious, because I knew the crazy state he was in, and besides he was soaked from being in the lake.
It cleared up nice and sunny while I was gone and when I got back to camp, everybody was getting ready for supper. I had to change my clothes, they were so wet, and while I was doing it Mr. Ellsworth came into our cabin and asked me if I knew where Skinny was.
I said, "No, I don't; I hiked all over looking for him, but I couldn't find him. That's how I got so wet I should think Connie would have his patrol out hunting for him."
Mr. Ellsworth and I walked over to supper together, and he seemed kind of worried. "I'm afraid this thing has jarred his balance a little," that's what he said.
"One reason he wants to be alone," I said, "is because he hasn't got any friends."
"I think his patrol is very proud of him," he said; "the whole camp is proud of him."
"They're proud of what he did; they couldn't help being proud of it," I said. "But they're not proud of him. Why don't they take him in and make friends with him? He's won the gold cross for them; gee, the least they can do is to show some interest in him. Are they ashamed of him? They don't even trust him, that's what I think."
Mr. Ellsworth said, "Yes, he's won the gold cross for them; no doubt of that."
"Yes," I said, "and where is he now? He's gone off so's he can be alone. One fellow around here says everybody in camp thinks he's a thief."
"Oh, I guess he didn't say just that, Roy," Mr. Ellsworth said, very nice like, "but we've got to have a little talk with Skinny about the way he talks—the things he says. He's a very queer youngster. They see he's different from the rest of us, that he's out of the slums and, well, they don't understand him, that's all."