“Yes.”
“Why?”
“We preferred to get out of our scrape without appealing to our rivals, Captain Baker.”
“Whew! That was a fix. How’d you manage it?”
“Through the resourcefulness and courage of Harriet Burrell. Had it not been for her we undoubtedly should still be up in the trees in the apple orchard.”
“Please tell us about it.”
“Please don’t,” begged Harriet blushingly.
“Now that you have aroused our curiosity, it would be cruel not to tell us the whole story,” declared George.
“Yeth. Cruelty to animalth,” nodded Tommy.
Miss Elting, despite Harriet’s protestations, did tell the boys the story, giving the full credit for their rescue to Harriet Burrell, to whom it belonged. The boys listened in open-mouthed wonder.