“Worse off than in school,” called a voice.

“I am for the pine trees,” said Scoutmaster Ned.  “I am for the high land and the fishing and the birds’ nests and the shelter.  In short, I’m for Scout Harris!”

“I’m for the view of East Ketchem as long as I don’t have to go there,” said Fido Norton.

It was the silly, tail end of the season; they were ready to do almost anything, except go to school.  They were going to have the last minute of the last day of this delightful little supplementary season, this autumnal climax of their camping life.  But aside from this resolution they cared not what they did.  Pee-wee, instead of getting on their nerves, had gotten into their spirits.  A change of location wouldn’t be half bad.  And Pee-wee was right too, in much that he had said; they realized this.  And he admitted it.

“Sure, I’m right,” he said; “you leave it to me.  I’ll fix it.  We’ll move over there to-morrow and if you’re sorry now you’ll be glad of it because—­”

“Oh, it will be a day of rejoicing,” said Scoutmaster Ned.

“Anything goes,” said Charlie Norris.

“Lead and well follow, Scout Harris,” chimed Fido Norton.

“One place is as good as another if not better,” shouted another scout.

“All in favor of moving, say Aye.”

“Aye!” shouted Pee-wee, in a voice of thunder.

CHAPTER XXXIX

BETRAYED!

The next morning they folded their tents like the Arabs and moved to a spot which Pee-wee recommended, on the opposite side of the island.  Why he liked it I do not know, for it was a quiet spot.  Perhaps he liked it because it was retiring and modest, and kept in the background, as one might say.  It seemed to breathe peacefulness, which was Pee-wee’s middle name.  It afforded a fine view of East Ketchem, the thriving community on the east shore of Kidder Lake; and the crystal spring, and stalking facilities, and better shelter of the stately, solemn pines, seemed in accordance with scout requirements.

“Well, we’re here because we’re here,” said Scoutmaster Ned, sitting down on two loaded grocery boxes after his last trip.  “If the spring water doesn’t come to us, we come to the spring water.  Not half bad at that,” he added, looking about.  Indeed they had not been familiar with the eastern shore of the island and now they contemplated the discovery of Christopher Columbus Pee-wee, not without surprise and satisfaction.

“When I go to a place I always leave it—­”

“Lucky for the place,” interrupted Nick in his dry, drawling way.

“I always go on expeditions,” Pee-wee explained.  “I even discovered islands and things, I discovered a mountain once, up at Temple Camp, only somebody discovered it before I did.  I discovered this place day before yesterday when I was tracking a mud-turtle.  Once I found a peninsula only it wasn’t there the next day.”