“You will be glad to know that Mr. John Temple (who delights in taking glory away from other people) has made a proposition which somewhat amplifies the Club’s award. Indeed it puts our poor Club somewhat in the shadow. He says that three is his lucky number. (Laughter.) And he, therefore, proposes that a scout in your troop of whose exploit honorable mention was to have been made, Warde Hollister, accompany you to the Yellowstone at his expense.
“The scout to whom the honor was to have been awarded, Edwin Carlisle of Westboro, receives also honorable mention for his exploit in putting out a forest fire. He too is to be a recipient of Mr. Temple’s munificence and is likewise awarded the honor of accompanying you.
“You, Martin, go as the Rotary Club’s winning candidate. Carlisle and Hollister go with you as the two winners of special mention for their exploits and are sent by Mr. Temple. I have suggested to him that you be called the Temple Trio, but he insists that the name of the Rotary Club shall be used. Your friend Mr. Hasbrook suggests that since probably none of you know how to shoot, you be called the Bungling Bunch.” (Great laughter suddenly increased to uproar by the thunderous voice of Scout Harris.)
“It’s just like I said it would be, only more so!” he shouted. “It’s—it’s—it’s—it’s like two helpings of dessert! We’re going to have two of them in our troop! That shows even when I’m mistaken I’m right!”
And amid the tumult of cheers and laughter, Edwin Carlisle, scout of Westboro, stood smiling, silent, obedient, till Mr. Atwater called to him that he might sit down.
So it happened that Westy Martin not only went to the Yellowstone, but went in company of two companions the following summer. It was natural that in the long interval of waiting these three scouts should strike up a sort of special comradeship, and by spring they were inseparable.
At last the big day came, and they were speeding westward in a comfortable Pullman car, beguiling the tedious hours of travel by matching their wits against a rather amusing stranger, a traveling man, whose acquaintance they had made on the train.
CHAPTER XXXIV
WESTWARD HO
“Grizzlies? Oh, hundreds of them! But they’re away back up in the mountains; you won’t see them.”
“They’re about the fiercest animals there, aren’t they?” one of the boys asked.