“And that Robby-boy saw me climbing out.”
“Anybody in the world, not only Guides,” said Betty with rising colour, “would help a boy with a cut cheek, I should trust and hope—especially when he was frightened, and seeing that he was sort of queer, you know. When Drina and Maud came along, though, it was they who helped him more than me.”
“They know First Aid, being senior Guides, of course,” put in Mona informatively. “And Drina anyway, being head of the Foxgloves, has heaps of badges. She would know simply anything! It happens that she knew who the boy was. It was just Robby—old Granny Beaver’s boy. I know him too, quite well; they call him a ‘natural.’ We often get hot water from that cottage in the holidays when we go for picnics at home.”
“He was dreadfully frightened, whoever he was,” said Betty again; “but I think he was brave too.”
“Brave and frightened?” said Rene. “Well, anyway Drina told Eve—for I heard her—that when they came up you were mending his cheek; and he was crying.”
“It wasn’t that kind of bravery I meant.” But Betty stuck to her point. “He did cry, I know. He was crying, too, when the boys were teasing him. But—well, I’d got into Witch’s Wood by mistake, you see,” she continued hurriedly. “I’ve explained to Drina, and she understands how. And that Robby-boy saw me climbing out. The other boys ran off because they were frightened of me—thinking I was the witch, I suppose,” went on Betty, “and never looked back. But he—well, he might have run, too, I suppose; but he didn’t. He was brave, like I said. He even forgot his cuts and things and stopped crying, and kept on telling me how spooky and frightening and all that the wood is. And he was shaking with fright himself all the time. I could see it. And yet he went on.”
By the emphasis of her utterance her convictions carried weight. The others nodded.
“Drina said that,” agreed Mona. “She said he kept begging you not to go back and get spooked by the witch. Of course he’s sort of simple; and I expect his granny frightened him about it when he was little. She’s rather hateful. Perhaps he felt grateful to you for taking his part and wanted to pay you back. Didn’t he follow you home?”