“Boo!” muttered Buckhart, shrugging his broad shoulders. “This sure is a spooky old place.”
Both boys heard a sudden sound like rattling dice. They discovered it came from the professor, whose teeth were chattering loudly.
“Keep a stiff backbone, professor,” advised Dick. “It will all be over in a short time.”
“Ye-yes,” faltered Zenas, “it will all bub-bub-be over fuf-fuf-for me. Richard, I fuf-fuf-feel that I am gug-gug-going to fuf-fuf-fall.”
“Nonsense! Why, you were bold as a lion last night when Achmet called.”
“Bub-bub-but that was lul-lul-last nun-nun-night,” chattered the shaking old fellow. “Besides, I had tut-tut-taken some tut-tut-tonic. I wush I ha-ha-had sus-sus-some nun-nun-now.”
“It sure is a shame you ran out of tonic,” said Brad. “But you won’t be any good whatever unless you get a brace on. You’ve got to fight Fitts now.”
“Yes, you’ll have to give him fits,” said Dick, making a poor pun. “You can’t back out without being branded as a coward, after which you’d never again dare look at your own reflection in a mirror.”
“I know it,” sighed Zenas; “but I was a fool to be so bub-brave last night! That woman is responsible for it all! If I dud-dud-die, my blood will be on her head!”
“But you’re not going to fall,” declared Buckhart.