Page:Bedford-Jones--Boy Scouts of the Air at Cape Peril.djvu/248

 a'swingin' in hammocks. I laid thar and thought what I'd do if that thar Bill Perkins war to be brought back now to ask me to fergive him. But I'd a done same as I tol' you befo' he played his las' trick on me. Says I to myself, 'You'd fergive him. Maybe he warn't responsible. His mammy might 'a let him fall on his head when he war a puppy and that busted his good intentions. I'd fergive him and if you're good scouts you'd fergive him, too."

"It was fun for us," asserted Jimmy with relish.

"Have yo' fun," rejoined the good old soul, with great seriousness, "thar's plenty o' room fer it, but don't have it over other folks wickedness er their tribulations. Play your game squar, lads, play it squar."

"You bet we'll do that," Jimmy hastened to make amends for his blunder.

"Now, look at that thar Perkins," proceeded the Cap'n. "Fer thirty year and mo' he's been a prowlin' up and down the earth inventin' new kinds o' meannesses. What a mess o' evil he done thar ain't no way o' knowing but he's come to the end o' his rope now. I'll be boun' on