Now the way we sit at the beginning of troop meetings is in three rows and each patrol is one row.  The patrol leader always sits at the right hand end of the row and Mr. Ellsworth sits in front.  If there are any local councilmen they sit in front with him.  But it doesn’t look much like that after things get started, I can tell you that, That night Mr. Bennett was there, too.  He’s on the Local Council.

When Westy and I went up to our row to sit down, nobody said anything to us at all, not even the fellows in our own patrol.  Ralph Warner was sitting in my seat at the end, and he said, kind of cold like, “Do you want to sit down here?”

“Of course I want to sit down there,” I told him; “I’m the leader of this patrol.  Where should I sit?” So he moved over kind of glum and I sat down in my chair at the end, right beside the Silver Fox emblem that stands in a rack on the floor.  Maybe they had an idea of electing a new patrol leader, hey?  I should Worry.

As soon as we were all ready Mr. Ellsworth. called the roll and Westy and I were marked late.  Then Mr. Ellsworth read a couple of notices and said the special meeting was called for several purposes.  He said one was to draft a letter of gratitude to Mr. Donnelle for loaning us the boat, and one was to decide (he always says determine, but decide is easier) how much each scout could chip in for the expenses of our cruise up the Hudson to Catskill Landing.

Then he looked very serious and said one of the patrols had all signed a petition (all except two absentees, he said) asking him to order an election in that patrol for a new patrol leader.

“I have been asked,” that’s just what he said.

“I have been asked to administer a troop reprimand to a member of the patrol of the Silver Foxes for absenting himself throughout the day from urgent troop duties with no better excuse than a desire to play baseball.  This I shall have to do.  The new election is asked for in order that a patrol leader may be found who will not leave his patrol and his duties on a mere pretext and not return.  I authorize this election.  Meanwhile Wesleigh Martin will please stand up.”

I could see that Westy’s face was kind of white and his lips were tight together and I knew be didn’t intend to say anything.

CHAPTER XVIII

SCOUT LAW NUMBER THREE

Now, I can tell you just exactly what Mr. Ellsworth said, because I remembered it and I wrote it down right afterwards.  First I was afraid Westy would say something and I didn’t want him to, because—­well, you’ll see.  So now I’ll copy what Mr. Ellsworth said.  Oh, jiminy, you could hear a pin drop, everyone was so quiet.  He said, “Wesleigh (that’s Westy, you know), I have been asked by your own patrol to give you this public reproof, and I speak for the whole troop as well, when I remind you that your action today in absenting yourself and