THE FIXER
"All right, you can do as you choose," said Pee-wee; "only I'm just
telling you. There's always better fishing on the east side of an island
because that's what Uncle Jeb up at Temple Camp said and he knows--he
knows--"
"He knows all the fish personally," said Charlie Norris.
"You think you're smart, don't you?" thundered Pee-wee. "There's a
better spring over there than there is here and then besides, the rain
will drain out better on account of the ground being higher, because I
know all about camping, you can ask my scoutmaster. It won't be so cold
over there at night, either; you see. You move the tents over there, gee
whiz, Arabs move their tents every day, and look at gypsies, they keep
moving all the time."
"It will be a scout movement," said Scoutmaster Safety First, rather
impressed with Pee-wee's arguments.
"I'm game for anything," said Scoutmaster Ned. "Variety is the spice of
life. The housing situation--"
"I know all about the housing situation," said Pee-wee; "my father owns
a house and the water's calmer on the east side of an island, because I
can prove it by the Pacific Ocean."
"The Pacific Ocean is west of here," said Scoutmaster Ned. "At least it
was when I went to school. I dare say it's there yet. Put another log on
the fire, Nick. How about it, Pete? Where's the Pacific Ocean? I'll
leave it to Pete."
"It's in the school geography," Pee-wee shouted from the other side of
the camp-fire, "and it's on the east of China. You have to know where
you're at before you can tell where it is and there's better fishing in
China than there is here, because in Japan they catch sardines! Temple
Camp is on the east side of Black Lake, and anyway there's a dandy place
over there for tents and there are a lot of birds' nests and there's a
better spring and you don't have to carry water so far and you always
spill a lot of it and there are a couple of pine trees and the leaves
don't fall off them, because there aren't any leaves and leaves keep the
rain and wind off but not if there aren't any and these trees are
getting bare--"
"Enough! Enough!" said Scoutmaster Ned, rising, and sticking his fingers
into his ears. "We ask for an armistice. All we ask for is three hours'
time in which to move--"
"I'll fix it," vociferated Pee-wee.
"We surrender to the world's greatest fixer," said Scoutmaster Ned. "The
high authority from Temple Camp--"
"He isn't so high!"
"Size don't count," roared Pee-wee.
"Shall be followed," said Scoutmaster Ned. "To-morrow morning we'll move
to the east side of the island in view of the thriving metropolis of
East Ketchem. Its four lights will cheer us at night. This spilling of
water must be stopped. Pretty soon the island will be under water and
then where will we be?"
"Worse off than in school," called a voice.
"I am for the pine trees," said Scoutmaster Ned. "I am for the high
land and the fishing and the birds' nests and the shelter. In short, I'm
for Scout Harris!"
"I'm for the view of East Ketchem as long as I don't have to go there,"
said Fido Norton.
It was the silly, tail end of the season; they were ready to do almost
anything, except go to school. They were going to have the last minute
of the last day of this delightful little supplementary season, this
autumnal climax of their camping life. But aside from this resolution
they cared not what they did. Pee-wee, instead of getting on their
nerves, had gotten into their spirits. A change of location wouldn't be
half bad. And Pee-wee was right too, in much that he had said; they
realized this. And he admitted it.
"Sure, I'm right," he said; "you leave it to me. I'll fix it. We'll move
over there to-morrow and if you're sorry now you'll be glad of it
because--"
"Oh, it will be a day of rejoicing," said Scoutmaster Ned.
"Anything goes," said Charlie Norris.
"Lead and we'll follow, Scout Harris," chimed Fido Norton.
"One place is as good as another if not better," shouted another scout.
"All in favor of moving, say Aye."
"Aye!" shouted Pee-wee, in a voice of thunder.