“It’s a trick to put you out of the game.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a scheme to feed you on ipecac just before the game begins.”

“If I don’t swallow it I sha’n’t have any trouble, shall I?”

“No. But——”

“Who is to do the trick?”

“You can guess who is behind it. It’s the lowest, meanest thing I ever heard of! If I really believed it all, I’d——”

“Don’t you believe it?” broke in Dan.

“I don’t know just what to think. I confess I’m afraid.”

“You haven’t told me just what it is that scares you.”