“Do you mean that it might get Dr. Merritt wild?” asked the other.
“It would make a bitter enemy out of him, which stands for the same thing,” Hugh said, thoughtfully.
“But I miss my guess, Hugh, if you refuse to lend that poor boy a helping hand when he needs it the worst kind.”
“Scouts seldom do that, you know, Billy.”
“He’s a weak chap, but he’s nerved up to make a try for freedom, whatever the kind of bonds that are holding him may be,” Billy ventured to say, as though he had been figuring the whole case out.
“Yes, that sounds encouraging,” Hugh told him.
“I didn’t find a chance to say a single word to him when next I saw him hovering around the stand where they sell that stuff. He happened to see me, and gave me a nod. Hugh, there was the most mournful look on his face you ever saw. Gee! it’ll sure haunt me for ever so long if we let this game go right along under our eyes, and don’t help Cale.”
“For one thing, Billy, make up your mind in the start that we will help him!” the scout master declared, firmly.
“Bully for you, Hugh!” exclaimed the stout boy, wringing the hand of the leader of the Wolf Patrol. “When I hear you say that I know the thing’s as good as done! Looking back, I can’t remember a single time when we failed to win out after you decided to lead the way.”
“No blarney, now, Billy,” warned the other, shaking his head and smiling. “We’ve got our hands full trying to figure this thing out. And from what I’ve seen of that man I should say first of all that he has a violent temper.”