Russ Steele stood up. “Get a move on, boys. We don’t want to miss that plane ride back to the lodge. I’ll meet you over at the mess tent.”
While they were dressing, Quiz began to speak self-consciously. “You know, I never did get a chance to thank you guys.”
Sandy and Jerry exchanged puzzled looks. “Thank us for what?”
“Oh, you know,” Quiz said gruffly. “I mean you two wouldn’t have been trapped by the fire if you hadn’t come back to look for me. Well, you risked your lives to save me. I don’t know quite how to say it, but—”
“Don’t say it,” Sandy cut in, bending over quickly to tie his shoelace. “Have it engraved on a medal.”
“Solid gold,” Jerry added. “None of this cheap gold-plated stuff.”
“Aw, wait a minute!” Quiz roared. “I’m trying to be serious.”
“On second thought,” Jerry said, “the town of Valley View might have given us a gold cup if we hadn’t bothered.” He ducked as Quiz heaved a shoe at him.
“Oafs!” Quiz fumed.
Sandy laughed. “Old buddy, you know perfectly well that we couldn’t have deserted anybody in a spot like that—not even Pepper March.”