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.

“Gosh!” 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—­”