“I knew that too,” Perk hastened to explain, “and so I passed by a splendid hiding place in a hollow oak. It looked mighty tempting, though, when I first discovered it by a flash of lightning; and I had to take a grip on myself to keep from giving in.”
“You certainly deserve a heap of credit, Perk; we’re proud of you,” he was told by Elmer, which praise made the fat boy’s blue eyes gleam with supreme happiness; Perk evidently considered it the highest possible honor to be complimented by the one to whom he was accustomed to look as a leader.
“Of course, I tumbled around a good bit while making my way along in the dark,” the other frankly continued; “and I’m scratched up something fierce; but it’s all in the game, and you won’t hear me squealing any, boys. I’m only thankful it’s finished as well as it has; and mebbe I’ve picked up a few points for taking care of myself in the wilds. Anyhow I c’n make a fire, no matter how wet everything is around; and say, that’s something worth while—for Perk!”
Again and again did he look particularly at Amos, Elmer could not help noticing; and he found himself wondering why the new chum should engage so much of Perk’s attention. There was also something most mysterious in the way he kept grinning; Elmer knew Perk in and out, and could not understand what the other had concealed “up his sleeve.” Usually frankness itself, Perk must be practicing a new role to act in this fashion, Elmer concluded. He would certainly bear watching, for he acted as though hardly able to keep from springing some surprise on them.
“But you fellows are as dry as a bone!” Perk now exclaimed, as he put his hand caressingly on Elmer’s sleeve; “so I reckon you either didn’t get wet in the storm, or else have dried off since before a jolly blaze.”
“Oh! we had a fire, all right,” mentioned Wee Willie, “and got dry in almost no time. The blaze had a result, though, we didn’t figure on.”
“What was that?” demanded the other curiously, again grinning mysteriously.
“Oh! it was seen by some one, and we found we had an uninvited guest,” explained Wee Willie.
“Huh! you don’t tell me; now that’s some queer!” exploded Perk, round-eyed by this time. “Who was your visitor, Wee Willie?”
“A dapper-looking chap who told us he was Doctor Hitchens, from over at the State Asylum for the Insane,” said the tall chum. “He was a wonderful talker, you must know, and fairly got me under his spell. But fortunately Elmer here sized him up at his true worth. Whom do you think he turned out to be, Perk?”