breath.
But Danny cried out feverishly: "There's a German spy sending wirelessmessages from old Death Head, and our transports have put to sea!" Andhe told them, brokenly, the story of his find.
There was consternation among them for one brief moment, and theneverybody woke to action.
They must get the man at once--but _which way_ to go?
Mr. Gordon spoke quickly:
"You stay with Danny, Burton; McKenzie and I will go back to the DeathHead and follow the clue from there." And even as he spoke he andMcKenzie were hurriedly, but tenderly, binding up the wounded arm,while Biddie improvised a comforting sling for it.
But Danny knew that the route by way of old Death Head was long andcircuitous. And he knew also that the shortest way is the only way totake when one's duty to one's country calls.
He got to his feet.
"I'll show you the shortest way," he said.
* * * * *
How they found means of scaling the cliff, how they accomplished theirstealthy journey back to the hidden wireless station, piloted by thewounded tenderfoot whom they supported at every step, is too long astory to tell.
But they reached the mouth of the dark cave. The two boys were leftoutside, and very shortly thereafter Mr. Gordon and McKenzie broughtout between them a big shadowy figure with its hands bound together.
* * * * *
That night, the east-bound passenger was flagged at the little stationin the valley, and there boarded it a squad of boy scouts with theirleaders, who guarded between them a captured German spy.
"Gordon, how did you manage it?" called a voice, from some distancedown the long coach as they entered.
For answer, Mr. Gordon took hold of a little boy who wore his left armin a sling and, pushing him gently forward, said before that whole carfull of curious, excited people:
"We had an American on guard to-night."
* * * * *
The Probate Judge's office in the old courthouse on the square was,the next morning, the scene of a most unusual gathering.
Danny and his mother had been asked by the Scout Master to meet himthere at ten o'clock. Mr. Gordon had sent his request in the form of abrief note which explained that the Boy Scout Court of Honor was to bein session that morning, and said that he wished his youngest scout tobe present.
Danny's mother was strangely elated over the request, but Danny didnot know why. He was so young in the business of scouting that somedetails of the system had not yet become definitely his.
He ventured one surmise when the note was read--something inconnection with the taking of that German spy, of course. Maybe theWhippoorwills were to be commended for delivering the goods. AndDanny's mind's eye recalled again the stirring scene--McKenzie and Mr.Gordon marshalling to the station between them the big German whomthey had captured and bound, and he and the other scouts trudgingalong in excited escort. It was a wonderful thing to be a man, Dannythought wistfully--to be big and strong enough to lay a compellinghand on the enemy in our midst and say:
"I want you!"
But it will have to be recorded that Danny's mother acted a littlequeerly on receipt of the note. When Danny said that perhaps theWhippoorwills were to be commended for "delivering the goods," hismother looked up at him quickly, as if in surprise. Then she laughed alittle and cried a little, and then she dashed off for her hat andwraps like a girl.
At ten o'clock sharp, Danny and his mother presented themselves atJudge Sledge's door. As they paused to knock, a voice came to themthrough the closed door--a familiar voice, and it sounded veryearnest. Then the door was opened in response to their knock.
They hesitated a moment while they took in the quiet, dignified scenewithin. Portly old Judge Sledge was sitting well forward in his officechair with his spectacles pushed back upon his bald head, while DoctorCranfield and several gentlemen whom Danny knew only by sight weregrouped about him. All were in the attitude of listening intently to aman who stood before them--Mr. Gordon.
Danny's quick glance took in all this, including the background ofkhaki-clad Whippoorwills, plastered against the wall beyond.
The gentlemen rose, on the entrance of Mrs. Harding, and the scoutscrowded forward to whisper excitedly to Danny.
But Danny did not have time to listen to them, for DoctorCranfield--taking him by his good arm--turned him about, and said tothe company:
"This is the boy."
There was an agonizing moment to Danny in which he realized thateverybody in the room was looking at him. Then he had to beintroduced. It was very, very trying, for each man to whom Danny gavehis hand in greeting looked him over from head to foot, and madeembarrassingly personal, if kindly, remarks about him.
"He was a small chap for the job."
"He ought to be _red-headed_."
"He was his mother's son."
Danny looked across the group into his mother's eyes and caught therean expression which he was never to forget. And she was smiling--inspite of the tear-mist over her beautiful eyes--she was smiling.
When they resumed their seats, there returned upon the group the touchof ceremonial quiet and earnestness which the entrance of thenewcomers had for the moment dispelled.
Mr. Gordon took a chair behind Mrs. Harding and explained to her andDanny in a low tone that the session was nearly over. Judge Sledge hadbeen compelled to convene the court earlier than the appointed hour.
The other men were talking apart. Presently, one of them turned to theScout Master and said:
"Following what you have just related, Mr. Gordon--do you think thatit was quite wise in your patrol leader to send out a mere tenderfooton a really dangerous commission?"
Mr. Gordon was about to reply, when McKenzie stepped forward andsaluted. "May I answer that?" he asked.
The court assented, and all turned to hear.
"Our private advices had been," began McKenzie, with his Indianlikefigure drawn up to its full height, "that it was Camelback Mountainwhich was under suspicion. We located our camp on a parallel range,and miles from the suspected vicinity. Mr. Gordon and I and several ofthe older boys were later to take in hand the serious work ofCamelback, but we thought it well to give the others a littleexperience. I had not intended to employ the tenderfoot till Ioverheard the boys teasing him. I sent him to the Death Head to redeemhimself in his own eyes and in theirs."
"Please, may I speak?" Biddie Burton had come forward eagerly.
With the permission of the judge, Biddie hurried on:
"Without letting the other boys know, McKenzie told me to follow Dannyin case his courage should give out completely. But he gave me myorders to keep well in the rear. He wanted Dan to go to the hauntedtree by himself, if he would--to win his spurs, you see."
"Did you follow Harding all the way?" someone interrupted.
"All the way to the haunted tree? Yes, sir, and he _did_ go! He wentright up to it and circled all about it. Then the earth seemed to openand swallow him up. I looked and looked for him. Then I ran back forhelp. I found McKenzie and Mr. Gordon, and we all three started outafter Dan. You have heard the rest."
This seemed satisfactory, and the judge turned to Danny.
"Come here, Daniel," he said, "and tell the court now how you capturedyour wireless operator."
Danny started.
"I didn't do it, sir," he said in embarrassment. "Mr. Gordon andWillard McKenzie captured the man. I only showed them where he was."
The men exchanged glances.
"Well," said the judge, again, "come here and tell us what you _did do_."
Danny came forward.
"Salute!" he heard Biddie whisper.
Danny saluted.
"Now," said the judge, "tell these gentlemen here what--what you told_your mother_ when you got back from the mountains last night."
Danny looked at his mother. Her eyes were misty again, but she wasnodding to him to do as the judge directed.
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The tenderfoot stood embarrassed before them and told the storyexactly as he had related it to his mother. He didn't like to do this,for he was very much ashamed of having to tell how frightened he hadbeen, and how he had had to force himself to go forward.
The men listened intently. Once in a while one would interrupt to aska question.
When Danny got to the point in his story of his acceptance ofMcKenzie's commission to cover old Death Head, a dark-eyed, quiet manon the judge's right leaned forward.
"One moment, Harding," he said. "McKenzie told us before you enteredthat you were afraid to go when the boys dared you, but that when hetold you to go on the scouting trip, you said, 'this is different.'What did you mean by its being 'different'?"
Danny looked up from his nervous fingering of the judge'spaper-weight.
"I meant that it