We spent the rest of that day at the Veterans’ Reunion, and we saw the Uncle Tom’s Cabin show, too. Only one of the bloodhounds wouldn’t chase Eliza, and Rossie Bent had to give her a frankfurter, so he’d chase her.
Most of the time that we weren’t at the ice cream counter, we were over in the grove with those Grumpy’s Cross-roads scouts. They said they were going to name their patrol the Crows, after Brent Gaylong. Harry said it would be better to name it the Hot Dogs, after Pee-wee.
Once Major Grumpy came over and sat down on a stump and talked with us and asked us a lot of questions about the scouts. He told those little fellows how they ought to build their shack and he said he’d find a scoutmaster for them. Most all the veterans came over and visited us, and we did lots of good turns for them, carrying their luggage and all like that. One of them was overcome by the heat but we fixed him up, all right, with first aid.
Uncle Tom came over, too, and talked to us between the shows. He asked us if we could dress the marks that the ferocious bloodhounds made on Eliza’s arm. Those marks were painted. He was awful funny, Uncle Tom was.
That reunion lasted three days, but we only stayed one day, because we had to get started for home. Anyway, I’m glad all the soldiers in the Civil War didn’t get killed, because you can have a lot of fun at reunions. One thing I’m sorry for and that is that I won’t be a kid when the soldiers who were in the World War are old veterans, I bet there’ll be a lot of lemonade and things then, hey? But anyway there’ll be scouts then, and it will be lucky for them there was a world war. Anyway, reunions are my favorite outdoor sports—reunions and hikes.
CHAPTER XXXVII—THAT MYSTERIOUS PAPER AGAIN
We started away from that reunion at about five o’clock at night and everybody was sorry to see us go. Those scouts, and the Uncle Tom’s Cabin people, and a lot of old veterans, all crowded around us to say good-by. They said we were a wide-awake bunch, but if they could have seen us about four hours later they wouldn’t have said so.
We made a camp alongside the road, and I cooked supper, and then most of us slept in the van. While we were sitting around our camp-fire, Brent took out that mysterious paper that he had found in the scarecrow’s pocket, and he kind of winked at Harry as if he was going to spring a great surprise on us. He looked awful funny in the light of the fire; just like a real live scarecrow—I mean a dead one.
He said, “Scouts of the victorious legion, while we are resting after the bloody battle of Grumpy’s Cross-roads, I have a dark communication to make to you. Excuse me while I get in a better light.”
“I thought you said it was a dark communication,” Pee-wee shouted.