Pee-wee
was there and Artie Val Arlen, of the Ravens, and the little
sandy-haired fellow with the cough, running to keep up and yelling
proudly for his chief and idol.
"Hurrah for the silver cross!" they called.
"Three cheers for the honor scout!"
"Three cheers and three extra weeks!"
They paused within a dozen feet of where Tom sat, and pushing, elbowing,
fell into the woods path leading up to Hero Cabin. Tom listened until
their voices, spent by the distance, were scarcely audible. Then he fell
to gazing again at the picture of the medal.
CHAPTER XVI
OSTRACIZED
The question was as to the bronze cross or the silver one, and it was
the silver one which came. Roy, who had been the most observant witness,
testified before the Honor Court that the frantic struggling of the
rescued scout must have incurred danger to the rescuer and that only his
dexterity and skill had saved him.
But after all, who can say how much risk is involved in such an act. It
is only in those deeds of sublime recklessness where one throws his life
into the balance as a tree casts off a dried leaf that the true measure
of peril is known. That is where insanity and heroism seem to join
hands. And hence the glittering cross of the yellow metal lying against
its satin background of spotless white stands alone by itself, apart
from all other awards.
There was no thought of it here and least of all by Garry himself. When
asked by the court how much he believed he had jeopardized his life, he
said he did not know, and that at the time he had thought only of saving
Dory Bronson.
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