Don Strong, Patrol Leader Part 21

He came to troop headquarters after supper with a queer, nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Outside, the Eagles were making one last hurried practice of the business of making a coat stretcher. Tim wished he could do a little practicing, too; but when he went inside and joined his patrol, he shrank from asking Andy and Bobbie to work with him.

The hands of the clock crept around to the hour of eight. The Eagles came inside. Mr. Wall called the patrol leaders.

"We don't want any lagging or fooling," he announced. "Have your scouts move lively."

"Yes, sir." The leaders went back to their patrols and repeated what the Scoutmaster had said.

Mr. Wall's whistle shrilled. The bugle sounded "To the Colors." Fifteen minutes later the inspection was over. Each patrol had a perfect score.

The result was marked on the board:

PATROL POINTS

Eagle 74-1/2 Fox 74 Wolf 73-1/2

It was now time for the contest. An air of tension ran through the troop.

Each patrol kept to itself. There was a deal of husky excited whispering.

Of all the Wolf patrol, Tim alone was silent. The muscles of his mouth twitched. How he wished he could have back those afternoons he had wasted!

"Scouts!" called Mr. Wall.

The room became silent.

"First in each division of work," he said, "will count five points, second three points, and third one point. The patrol having the greatest number of points at the finish will have five credits to its blackboard score; the second patrol, three points; the third patrol nothing. Two things will count, speed and neatness--and, oh yes, care. I say speed, but I also warn you to use your heads."

Use their heads? What did that mean? But before the scouts had much time to think about it, the first event was called.

This was bandaging. Two scouts from each patrol stepped forward, ready.

Wally and Alex represented the Wolves.

"Arm sling," called Mr. Wall.

Quickly, deftly, the slings were made. There was little to choose, it seemed to the watching scouts.

"Head bandage," called the Scoutmaster.

Again there was quick work. But this time the Fox boys slipped a moment.

Warning calls came from their patrol. Bobbie yelled a "Go it, Wally." The Fox scouts finished only a second behind the others.

"Broken collar bone," was the next command.

This time one of the Eagles dropped a bandage. There was a shout from the scouts. The shouting increased as the Fox bandager fumbled the binding knots. Wally worked coolly and rapidly. He was the first to finish in this particular test.

"We're going to get bandaging points sure," cried Andy. "Bully work, Wally; bully work."

"Foot bandage," said Mr. Wall.

The three teams finished only seconds apart.

The triangular bandage was now discarded.

"Spiral bandage," ordered Mr. Wall.

Here, for the first time, Wally ran into trouble. The bandage became flabby. Quickly he pulled it apart and began again. The Fox and Eagle patrols jumped to their feet and pleaded for their respective teams to hurry. Wally calmly ran the bandage up the calf of Alex's leg.

"Finished," cried the Foxes and the Eagles.

"Finished," cried Wally.

"Gos.h.!.+" whispered Bobby. "His bandage looks neater than theirs."

Then came a spiral reverse, and after that a complete spiral for all the fingers. When this last job was finished, Mr. Wall smiled, as though well pleased.

"Pretty work," he said. "That will be all." The contestants walked back to their troops, and he figured on a pad.

"Wonder if he'll tell us now," whispered Bobbie.

"Of course he will," Andy answered. "That's what makes things exciting, knowing that you are behind or ahead--"

"Sss.h.!.+" Don cautioned.

"I'll award the points now," said Mr. Wall. "Later you can look over my scoring pad and see how I scored each individual test. Wolf patrol five points--"

"Wow!" yelled Bobbie.

Andy dug him in the ribs. "Shut up, you shrimp. Want Mr. Wall to put us out?"

But Mr. Wall only smiled at the excited scout. "--Eagles," he went on, "three points, and Foxes, one point."

The Foxes seemed glum. The Eagles clamored about their patrol leader. Don felt like dancing.

"Fine start," he said to Tim; and Tim nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat.

He was used to having his pulse throb during the heat of a baseball game.

He was used to the wild urge to win that stirred him on the diamond. But the breathless anxiety that ran through him now was something new. He ached to get in and do something for his patrol.

Splints came next. This time Don and Ritter represented the Wolves. Mr.

Wall's first order was for a broken thigh.

The watching scouts were silent. All three teams worked rapidly. There was a hush as the Scoutmaster examined the patients.

"Too tight," he said when he examined Ritter's thigh.

Tim squirmed in his seat. Don took off the splints and looked down at the floor.

Broken leg splints came next, then broken arm splints, and then applying a tourniquet. On this the Eagle scouts failed dismally. Don and Ritter came back to the patrol.

"How does it look?" Andy demanded.