CHAPTER XIV

SAVED!


Thanks to Pee-wee, the door of the rustic lakeside garage stood
invitingly open.

"I won't--I won't say anything about money; gee whiz, you needn't have
any fear," Pee-wee said, making a play for his companion's good-will;
"gee, I wouldn't do that--I wouldn't. But you could take a medal,
couldn't you? A scout good-will medal?" he added anxiously.

"Maybe," said Mr. Swiper.

"Gee, you'll _have_ to take it," said Pee-wee; "our scoutmaster will
make you."

Before entering the building, Mr. Swiper made an inspection of the
lonely neighborhood, and looked out across the still, dark lake.

"That's where they went?" he asked.

"Sure, they won't see us," Pee-wee said reassuringly.

But the manual training teacher was not going to take any chances with
a crew of ruffians--not he.

"Even if they should see us or hear us," Pee-wee encouraged, "they