“I didn’t mean to interfere. I only wanted him to go on being brave.”
“I should think he wouldn’t want you to teach him that.”
“It didn’t sound very brave to hide away and make everybody frightened and miserable. You would have been very unhappy if you had not known where he was, and so would other people. I don’t think it brave to frighten people and make them unhappy just because it’s fun.”
Queenie made no reply. She was not angry, yet she rather felt as if she ought to be.
“What made you think of all that, Bertie?”
“I don’t know. It seemed to come into my head. I suppose somebody told me once.”
“Are you brave?” asked Queenie, suddenly.
Bertie shook his head gravely.
“I don’t know. I want to be; but I don’t know if I am. I try.”
“How do you try?”