“And–and there haven’t been any bears in this country for–for years,” said Grace, though rather quaveringly.
“Say! what do you know about all this?” demanded Dave, of his mates.
“Do you girls mean to say that you weren’t scared pretty near into fits?” cried one lad.
“Did we act scared?” laughed Wyn. “I guess we fooled you a little, eh?”
“You’re just as much mistaken,” said Frank, “as the red-headed man was who went to see the doctor because he had indigestion. When the doctor told him to diet, it wasn’t his hair he meant; but the red-headed man got mad just the same. Now, you boys—”
“Aw, come! come!” cried Dave. “You can’t say honestly you were not scared. You know you were.”
“I am afraid your joke fell flat, Davie,” laughed Wyn. All the girls were enjoying the boys’ discomfiture. “Of course, I suppose you thought you deserved your breakfast as a forfeit because you got a trick across on us. But you’ll have to try again, I am afraid. Just because we ran doesn’t prove that we did not recognize the combination of a boy and a buffalo robe.”
“Aw, now!” cried one of the boys. “What did you run for?”
“There’s a reason,” laughed Percy.
“Wait!” advised Frank, shaking her head and her own eyes dancing. “You will find out soon enough why we ran.”