“Sssh!” 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.

Don shook his head.  He was afraid of that first tight splint.  It was no surprise to him when Mr. Wall gave first place to the Foxes.  But his heart leaped as he heard the Wolves rated second.

“We’re ahead,” Alex cried jubilantly.  He pushed a paper in front of Don’s eyes.

Wolf 8
Fox 6
Eagle 4

Tim wet his lips.  His turn was next—­his, and Bobbie’s, and Andy’s.

“Artificial respiration,” called Mr. Wall.

Bobbie lay on the floor, face down, and stretched his arms above his head.  Andy held his wrists lightly.  Tim knelt astride the prone figure and placed trembling hands between the short ribs.

Mr. Wall, holding a watch, walked back and forth.  Tim’s heart thumped.  Would he go too fast or too slow?  He wondered how the other patrols were making out, but he dared not look.  Presently the Scoutmaster called, “That’s enough,” and he scrambled to his feet.

“Gosh!” Bobbie said ruefully.  “You surely put some pressure on.”

“Wonder how we made out,” said Andy.

Tim wondered, too.  When the call came for a demonstration of fireman’s lift, he shut his teeth hard.  He wouldn’t fall down on this!

Two minutes later the lift was over.

“You were quicker than any of them,” cried Andy in his ear.

“Stretchers,” called Mr. Wall.  “Lift the patient in and stand at attention.  Patients must not help themselves.  Got your staves?  Ready?  Go!”