"The cross?" said Gilbert in admiring surprise. "What for?"
"Search me. They're going to test some money or something—testimony, that's it. Something big is going to happen in my young life."
"You'll go back?" Gilbert asked anxiously.
"Sure, if Robin Hood can go with me. Love me, love my dog."
"I don't want to go there," said the young fellow; "you kids better go."
"Then that's the end of the red cross," said Hervey, still swinging. "I mean the Gold Cross or the double cross or whatever you call it. What'd'you say, Hoody? They have good eats there. Will you come and see me cop the cross?"
"He just happened to blow in here," said the stranger, by way of explaining Hervey's presence to Gilbert. "I was knocking around in the woods and bunking in here."
Gilbert was a little puzzled, but he did not ask any questions. He was thoughtful and tactful. He had a pretty good line on Hervey's nature, too.
"Of course, Hervey has to go back," he said, as much for Hervey's benefit as for the stranger's. "I say all three of us go. You'll like to see the camp——"
"They've got a washed-out cove and an oven for making marshmallows, and a scoutmasters' meeting-place with a drain-pipe you can climb up to the roof on, 'n everything," said Hervey in a spirit of fairness toward the camp and its attractions. "They've got messboards you can do hand-springs on when the cook isn't around. I bet you can't do the double flop, Hoody."