Now when Wig said that about the Gold Cross I thought it was just
because he was weak and didn't know what he was saying. Because, maybe
you know as well as I do, that the Gold Cross isn't so easy to get.
Only one fellow in our troop ever got it, and that was Tom Slade. Maybe
I took a chance when I went into all that smoke, I'm not saying I
didn't, but if I got anything at all, it would be the Bronze Medal, I
guess, but nix on the Gold Cross. You don't find gold crosses growing
around on every bush, you can bet. Anyway, I didn't want any honor medal
because I knew Wig wouldn't get one (because they're only for
lifesaving) and gee, if he didn't deserve one, I'm sure I didn't.

Anyway this wasn't any time to be thinking about medals, because Artie
Van Arlan was missing and that was the principal thing we had to think
about. He wasn't on the house--boat, that was one sure thing, because
we looked everywhere and couldn't find him. Wig said he remembered
somebody speaking to him when he was lying there, and he guessed it
must have been Artie. He didn't know what he said though.

The fellows were all excited about it, especially because the boat was
just beginning to float, and we didn't know whether we'd better anchor
there and wait to see if he turned up. Two of the fellows climbed down
and swam around and the rest kept caning. It wasn't very deep yet and
they could even feel around the flats, but they couldn't find him
anywhere.

I went around and looked at the window and even then the cabin was
filled with smoke, but not so thick. Believe me, I wished that Tom
Slade was there then, because he's great on deducing and finding
clues and all like that. That's why we always called him Sherlock
Nobody Holmes. Anyway, I couldn't make out what happened. Artie might