“For my part,” said Tom, “I shouldn’t wonder if they’ve both backed out deliberately.”
“Backed out?”
“Yes. I don’t believe they cared about going to Aspotogon.”
“Pooh! nonsense! What makes you think that?”
“Why, last evening I noticed that they didn’t say a single word. Both of those fellows were as muni as mice, and all the rest of us were in full cry about the expedition. Depend upon it, they didn’t want to go, and have backed out. They didn’t want to say anything about it, for fear we’d tease them to come, but quietly dropped off, leaving us to go without them. O, that’s the way, beyond a doubt.”
“Now that you mention it, Tom,” said Phil, “I do remember that they didn’t say anything last night, neither of them.”
“Neither did they,” said Arthur.
“Pact,” said Bruce; “it looks very much as if they had talked the matter over, and concluded to back out in this quiet way; and I don’t know but what they have concocted some scheme of their own.”
“O, some fishing scheme, of course. Bart was crazy about it, you know, and he’s persuaded Pat to go with him.”
“Well, in that case we needn’t wait.”