what they have to say.”
Paul demanded, “What is it you’ve got to tell us?”
Bobolink, propped up in bed, declared, “Oh, nothing, nothing much.”
But their eyes glittered so with excitement and their faces were so flushed that the new-comers could tell at a glance that there was something up.
“Say, you fellows are holding something from us; come on, tell us,” William demanded.
Ken, who was always able to keep a straight face, no matter what happened, remarked very coolly and casually, “Nothing, really. You tell us first what happened at the airport. Did you all get a ride?”
The boys grinned. “We most certainly did,” announced William.
“Each and everyone of us,” added Jack.
Paul said modestly, blushing to admit the truth, “I went up twice.”
Bluff made believe he was fainting. “Is that b-boy l-l-lucky!” he exclaimed, “H-h-how come y-y-you w-were thus h-h-honored?” he wanted to know.
Paul explained. Wallace interrupted to say, “And what’s more, Major McCarthy told us to tell you, Bobolink, that just as soon as you’re recuperated, he’s going to take you up, too.”
The boys swarmed about Bobolink’s bed and the boy had to turn his head from one side to the other to listen to what each fellow said. He replied, “I’m glad and I appreciate the major’s offer but I wish you boys would stop jumping around like frogs and get chairs and sit down.” He was interrupted by William and Jack who began to speak at once but he stopped them and added, “Don’t all talk at the same time.”
Wallace got ahead of all the others this time and announced, “Major McCarthy also told us that he is going to teach us all how to fly.”
Bluff and Ken who heard the news for the first time, jumped high in the air and shouted, “Wow!!”
Paul called the boys to order and admonished them not to make so much noise because that would be a very poor manner in which to reciprocate Mrs. Link’s kindness in permitting them to meet in Bobolink’s room. All the boys nodded and agreed to refrain from making any further noise. They brought in chairs, placed them around the bed and sat down very orderly to discuss the business at hand, which was, Major McCarthy’s offer to teach them how to fly. For the moment they forgot everything else and thought only of their ambition to learn how to fly and be pilots. Bluff, however, soon remembered that there was some exciting news to tell which had been temporarily forgotten. At the first opportunity, therefore, he interrupted and said, “W-w-wait a minute, f-f-fellows, we h-h-have f-f-forg-g-gotten s-s-something.”
Given the cue, they all suddenly remembered. William jumped out of his seat and cried, “That’s right, you were supposed to tell us something. So come across, don’t hold back, tell us,” he demanded.
Bluff waved his arms and wanted to tell but Ken restrained him and said, “No, it’s Bobolink’s news; let him tell it.”
All eyes turned on Bobolink. A modest and unassuming person, he hesitated. Ken urged him on, saying, “Don’t be bashful, tell them.”
Blushing, he said, “It’s really Paul and Jack who deserve all the credit for catching that crook and they should really get all of the reward.”
“Reward! What reward?”
“What crook?”
They all spoke simultaneously, without listening to each other. Paul held up his hand and motioned for everybody to be quiet. He said, “Let’s first hear what it’s all about. All right, Bobolink, tell us what you’re talking about.”
Bobolink said, “Well, the story is all very simple. You remember yesterday how that speeder nearly ran over the Smither’s kid?”
They all nodded. Wallace said, “Of course we do, and if it weren’t for you, the kid would be dead.”
“It wasn’t much, really,” said Bobolink. “But what happened afterwards is what’s really important. Jack and Paul went after the fellow and caught him and then the police arrested him.”
William was impatient. “So what about it?” he demanded.
“Well,” continued Bobolink, “a short while ago Chief of Police Bates called up and said that there was a two thousand dollar reward for the arrest of that fellow and that very likely the money will be awarded to be shared by Paul, Jack and me. But it’s Jack and Paul who should really get all of it.”
The last sentence was not heard because of the commotion that followed. The boys jumped high in the air, shouted, screamed, cheered Paul, Jack and Bobolink. They were beside themselves with joy. When at last they quieted down, Jack asked, “But who’s the culprit, Bobolink? What crime did he commit and who’s giving the reward?”
Bobolink answered, “Chief Bates explained to mother that the culprit is a well known counterfeiter and the government is giving the reward. He said that in a day or two a government agent will come to town to determine who really deserves the reward. But my mother told me that he assured her that the three of us are going to get the reward.”
CHAPTER VI
The boys were in such a turmoil of excitement that they barely noticed Jack and Paul draw aside and whisper together. It took them only a few seconds to agree to a mutual proposal. Paul walked over to Bobolink and whispered something in his ear. Paul then called the boys to order, told them to sit down, then said, “Fellows, we have some serious thinking to do. We must determine the best manner in which to dispose of the $2,000 reward.”
Ken objected. “What do you mean ‘we’?” he demanded. “The money belongs to you, Jack and Bobolink and it’s up to you to do as you please with it.”
Jack and Bobolink shook their heads in disagreement with the statement. William, however, remarked, “I think Ken is right.”
Bluff nodded in agreement while Wallace was noncommital. Paul said, “The money belongs to all of us, the members of this Patrol. Furthermore, if there is any argument about it, Jack, Bobolink and I are agreed that we want the money to be shared by the eight of us. Now let’s discuss, orderly and intelligently, what we should do with the money.”
All the boys were silent, not knowing what to say or how to deal with the situation. Wallace, however, the sober and serious fellow of the group, remarked, “I’m sure all the boys agree with me when I say that we appreciate very much the gesture of Paul, Jack and Bobolink. Furthermore, it is my opinion that none of us should hesitate to accept their offer. Ever since I can remember, since the time we were kids, we have always lived together, played together, gone to school together and shared each other’s property. If a fellow had a dime, he bought candy and shared it with all of us. I cannot remember a single instance when a fellow refused to share anything he possessed with the rest of us. You’ll remember that when we first became Scouts, we pooled our money to buy uniforms for all of us. We’ve been doing that ever since and therefore I—”
That was quite a long speech and the boys would not permit him to continue. They applauded him to show their whole-hearted agreement. Even Ken now agreed and said, “I think we owe a vote of thanks to Wallace for explaining it to us and making it so clear that we cannot help but agree with him.”
Some
