"The water is boiling all right," he announced, "and Number Five wins. But keep going, the balance of you, until we learn who comes in second and third."
Matty Eggleston proved an easy second, while Ted Burgoyne edged in just ahead of Mark, because, as he claimed, his "blowing apparatus worked better."
"But I think we ought to protest that win of Lil Artha," declared Chatz Maxfield, although he had been one of the last in the bunch.
"On what grounds?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling, as though he had expected to hear something of the sort, though hardly from one who had no chance of winning.
"When his kettle upset he didn't go all the way to the lake to fill it again, as he ought to have done," said Red Huggins, who had also the ill fortune to overturn his tin vessel when the water had begun to steam, and who naturally felt a little "sore" as he termed it, because it was too late for him to enter again.
"Listen while I read the terms of the competition again," said Mr. Garrabrant. "I wrote them down so as to be prepared for any event; that's one of our cardinal principles, you know, boys. Here it especially states that 'any competitor who upsets his kettle at any time during the test may have the privilege of filling the same again from the nearest water.'"
"Oh! I didn't think of it that way, sir!" exclaimed Red.
"That's just it," smiled the gentleman. "You failed to grasp all there was in that rule, while Arthur analyzed it. He undoubtedly laid his plans beforehand, in which he proved himself a true scout, preparing for eventualities, even though he may not have expected to meet with such an accident. He remembered that little stream, and even the fact that there was a small basin scooped out where a pail could be quickly dipped in and filled. All the more credit to Arthur for his forethought. He doubly deserves the honor he has won, and I congratulate him on his victory. It will be an object lesson to the rest of you. In time of peace prepare for war. And now we will turn our attention to another test. Perhaps some of the rest may excel in that. I want everyone to do his very best, and earn marks that will help to take you out of the tenderfoot class and make second-class scouts."