“I don’t know,” said Rifle, grimly. “He must be a fierce one, or he wouldn’t have ventured alone.”
“Perhaps there are a dozen of ’em behind, hiding,” said Tim. “Shall we cooey?”
“No,” said Norman, stoutly. “Not till we’ve seen. He may be only begging after all. Come on.”
“Stop! Stop! Don’t leave me here,” cried Aunt Georgie excitedly, as the boys began to move off.
“But we can’t take you, aunt,” said Rifle, soothingly, “with a lot of blacks about.”
“Blacks? Where?” cried Aunt Georgie rising.
“Where you said: in the kitchen.”
“Stuff and nonsense, boy! I never said anything of the kind. I said it was a snake.”
“Snake!” cried the boys in chorus.
“You didn’t say anything of the kind, aunt,” cried Norman, indignantly.