This is what I said, only I didn’t say it as well as it sounds here on account of being nervous, but I should worry as long as I knew I was right, hey?  “I heard a fellow in my patrol say just now” that’s the way I began, “that there is only one Silver Fox would vote for me because I went away and didn’t come back.  I know he meant Westy and he’s the one fellow I’d want to vote for me, anyway, you can bet.  I don’t care what happens, I don’t, if Westy will only vote for me.  Because he’s one real scout and none of the rest of you know anything about scouting alongside of him—­You don’t.  And anyway I don’t care so much if I’m not leader any more, if I could only be sure you’d elect him leader—­”

“He stands a tall chance,” I heard a fellow say.

“About as tall as Pee-wee,” another fellow said.

He was trying to be smart.

“Maybe he’ll have a tall chance, as tall as the Woolworth Building,” I said; “you’d better keep still.  I want to ask Mr. Ellsworth if I can say something—­while I’m still Silver Fox leader, that’s all.”

“Surely you may, Roy,” he said, kind of pleasant.

“Because there’s one more thing I’m going to say for my patrol.  I—­I started that patrol and—­”

Oh, gee, then I broke right down, not exactly crying, but you know, there was something in my throat and I just couldn’t talk for a minute.  “Go on, Roy,” Mr. Ellsworth said, and he was awfully nice, I have to admit that.

So I said how I started that patrol and did the best I could and always told the fellows to be loyal and how disgrace spills all over just like Mr. Ellsworth himself told us.

“Anyway, Mr. Ellsworth,” I said, “I can’t say it as good as I’d like to, because—­you know—­”

“Take your time, Roy,” he said.

“Anyway, you remember how you spoke about the laws.”  I was holding tight to the Silver Fox standard and it kind of helped me to speak, and I guess pretty soon my voice didn’t shake.  “I know all the laws,” I said, “and I think more about them than I do about stunts and adventures and things—­”

“How about baseball?” a fellow said, but I didn’t pay any attention to him, and Mr. Ellsworth frowned at him.

“And only to-night I looked at them,” I said, “and I made marks next to two of them.”  Then I fumbled in my pocket and got out the Handbook, and I reminded myself of a lawyer.  Anyway I could see Mr. Bennett smile at Mr. Ellsworth.  “Gee, I wouldn’t say anything against the laws, that’s one sure thing,” I said, “because they’re all dandy laws, you can bet.  But maybe a fellow might not know which one to obey because he can’t obey them all at once, can he?”

Mr. Ellsworth said he didn’t know about that and he looked kind of surprised.  I should worry, I wasn’t scared now.  “Suppose he’s on his way to obey Law 8 and keep his word and be loyal to his troop and his scoutmaster,” I said.  “That’s Law 8, isn’t it?”