“Oh! good-bye!”
As Dick gasped these two words he flung himself squarely around, and ran wildly. At the same time he listened, with his heart almost in his mouth, to ascertain whether the terrible animal were chasing after him. Yes, he could catch that odd thumping sound so like the roll of a distant bass drum.
The boy ran in the direction that would take him close to where his companions were busily engaged in picking berries. He did not mean to lead the beast so as to include Eddie and the rest in his own danger; but he wished to warn them so that they, too, might flee from that perilous section.
When they heard him shout they quickly understood. Even before that it had dawned upon their comprehension that something was amiss, for they had caught the noise made by Dick’s frantic passage through the bushes. Besides, the booming sound from beyond had also been carried to their ears.
Now all six were tearing off like mad, and for a brief time it seemed as though the berry picking must be abandoned for that day at least. Dick soon found that they were not being pursued. Then the ridiculous character of the wild flight broke in upon him, and he laughed aloud.
This caused the others to feel safer. Surely the situation could not be so very desperate if Dick, wise Dick, could give way to merriment.
Eddie Grant joined in the laughter, and Ban and Cub, not to show the white feather, followed suit, until all of them threw themselves down on the ground and tried to catch their breath again.
There was considerable badgering, for each chose to believe that all save himself were panic-stricken. Of course, he had galloped along just because it was the fashion, and he did not wish to be left to face the ugly beast alone.
When Dick candidly admitted that he had been badly scared the others realized that confession was good for the soul; and in the end everybody owned up.
“Do we give up the job then for to-day?” asked Fred Bonnicastle.