"But we shouldn't like to have him bother thanking us," returned Cleo, as spokesman. "We only did a scout duty."
"Oh yes, that's so. You're scouts. Aren't you? I'm a scout too, but we haven't any girls' troop around here. Wish you would start one."
"We may," assented Margaret. "But did you talk to the boy after he revived? Was he perfectly all right?" she questioned pointedly.
"Guess so, but he's a queer chap. Can't tell whether he's all right or all wrong, he's such a stick. Excuse me, here's where I sell a real order," and he hurried over to an old lady who was vainly trying to shut an obstinate parasol.
Again the girls turned away, and the clerk had not fulfilled his promise to get their names; neither had they obtained the name of the stricken boy.
"But I feel a lot better," admitted Cleo. "Somehow, it isn't nice to see a boy as still as he was."
"I should say not," added Grace. "And I couldn't help thinking of Benny. I've never seen him still in his life, but I don't ever want to see him as quiet as that. And say, girls--" and she drew as many of them to her as her arms would reach, "the bottom of that boat was full of _yellow_ paper rolls!"
"He couldn't be the fire-bug!" protested Louise.
"I don't believe he could either," went on Grace, now really serious. "But I thought I ought to mention about the papers."
"And the boat man's boy said he lived over on the island," mused Cleo. "I'm glad we got out of leaving our names. He might come around to thank us--and he might carry--a torch!"
This sally revived the girls' spirits to the extent of producing the first laugh they had enjoyed since the accident; and to demonstrate the possible torch bearing, Cleo paraded on ahead with a long stick up-raised, while Grace and Louise followed with the crabs squirming in their basket.
"Now, we shall divide the spoils," said Margaret, when the town was reached, and the group should separate for their respective cottages.
"Any one may have my share," offered Julia. "I don't ever want to see a crab again as long as I live," and her face fell to positive freezing point.
"Now, Julie dear, don't take on so," teased Grace. "No telling what our Wise Willie may turn out to be, and just think--you held his foot when we dragged him in."