"I didn't tell them anything," Pee-wee said. "As long as the fellers
got away they won't blame you. Anyway, if you'd have been there they'd
have been caught, because you didn't know those detectives because
they're strangers around here."

"How'd _you_ know them?" Keekie Joe inquired.

"Gee, scouts are supposed to know everything," Pee-wee informed him.

Keekie Joe gave a side glance at Pee-wee as he shuffled along at his
side. He was rather interested in a class of boys who knew all
officials on sight; here indeed was something worth knowing. "Yer
spotted 'em?" he asked incredulously.

"_Sure_ I did," said Pee-wee with great alacrity; "because scouts are
supposed to be observant, see? I saw them in Northvale once. But,
believe me, I didn't holla. _Oh, no_! I ran over and told the fellers
and they all got away, so as long as you didn't leave them in the lurch
it was all right. So now will you join the scouts? They always carry
licorice jaw-breakers in their pockets," he added as a supplementary
inducement; "anyway _I_ do--lemon ones too, and strawberry ones."

"How many is in your gang?" Joe asked.

"Nobody yet," said Pee-wee, "because I haven't got it started. But if
you'll join in with me we'll start one. You're supposed to hike and
run a lot but if you want to run after fire engines and ambulances it's
all right." He said this because of the favorite outdoor sport of
Barrel Alley of trailing fire engines and ambulances. "So will you