Wrong or right (and he was usually wrong), he was a scout.

He was a scout with something left over.

Like a flash of lightning he jumped into the car and shut off the switch, but the imprisoned air was already heavy with the deadly fumes and his head swam.

Shutting off the switch would not save him; nothing would save him unless his mind and body acted together with lightning swiftness.
Say that he made a "bull" of it in starting the engine, and you are welcome to say that of him.

But after that the spirit and training of the scout possessed him.