There was Pee-wee, sprawled on the straw inside the little car, sound asleep. The funny-bone hike had been too much for him, I guess. Hervey got a stick and pushed with it against the rail right near the edge of the turntable. We had to all get sticks and push before we could budge it. It squeaked as it went around, the part underneath was so rusty. We brought it to one full turn so that the car stood with the long coupling at the opposite side from where it had been before. We thought we might as well let Pee-wee sleep a little longer so we went to a tree that Hervey knew about and got some apples. Then we went back and sat in a line on the edge of the car with our feet hanging inside and started eating apples. After a little while we began singing, Follow your leader, and that woke Pee-wee up.
He opened one eye, then he stretched his arm, then opened the other eye and sat up, staring.
“Wheredgerget thabbles?” he wanted to know, rubbing his eyes.
I said, “Here, catch this and eat it.” Then I said, “Scout Harris of the raving Raven patrol, alias the Animal Cracker, you have been elected by an unanimous majority to lead the funny-bone hike. What say you? Yes or yes? Do you know the way to Temple Camp?”
“A fool knows the way to Temple Camp,” he said, very disgusted like.
“And you claim you’re a fool?” Warde asked him.
“I claim you’re a lot of lunatics,” Pee-wee said, sitting there and yawning and trying to eat an apple at the same time.
“It’s your turn to lead,” Garry said. “Our career of glory is over and we want to go home.”
“I’m tired of this crazy stuff and I don’t believe anybody here knows the way to camp,” Bert said.
“This branch crosses the turnpike,” Pee-wee said. “Don’t you know the little wooden bridge where the tracks cross the road?”
“Oh yes, the dear little wooden place,” I said; “how well I remember it!”
“You turn left on the turnpike and go through Leeds,” the kid said.
“Ah, but suppose the turnpike shouldn’t be there any more?” Garry said. “Some strange things h............