'Is her legs bwoken?' demanded the twins.
'I knew she couldn't do it; I told her she couldn't!'
In an instant Betty's face appeared from behind her handkerchief. 'I did do it; I did! and I could do it again to-morrow; so there, Douglas!'
Then Uncle Harry laughed outright, after which he pulled himself up, and said as sternly as he could,—
'Now look here, youngsters, I'm not good at scolding, as you know; but you're all old enough to know that it is not true pluck to go crawling round roofs like cats, and running the risks of breaking your necks and damaging your limbs for the rest of your lives. Now then, who is to blame? Speak up like little Britons, and don't be ashamed of owning up and telling the truth about it.'
There was a pause. Douglas got very red in the face, but blurted out, 'I dared her to do it.'
'And I said I thought she could do it,' said Molly with tearful eyes; 'but I did ask her to come back at the corner.'
'And I dared her to go on,' added Douglas.
'And Bobby and me clapped our hands at her,' put in Billy eagerly, feeling anxious to share in the glory of the escapade.
'Do you think it a brave thing to urge another on to danger, when, perhaps, you would be afraid of taking their place yourself?'