"Well, perhaps he's also changed his mind about it, like Jerry here," laughed Frank.
"To tell the honest truth, boys, perhaps it was something Pet said that made me determine it was my duty to stand there and knock that beast over," admitted Bluff, as if determined to confess all his shortcomings while about it.
"And what was that?" asked Jerry, frowning, for he detested Pet above all other boys in town.
"He was saying that it didn't take much courage to hold up fellows when one had a gun and they didn't; he also took occasion to rub it in, and declare that I was by nature a timid sort of a chap, well named Bluff. Do you know, what he said came to me like a flash, even while my legs were bent on carrying me across the street to a store or a tree. That was why I stopped so suddenly. I was ashamed to run while I held this gun. So you see there was no bravery about it, only desperation."
"Humbug! That's what most so-called bravery is, old fellow," said Frank, patting him on the back.
"I saw you talking to Sandy Griggs, too," remarked Will.
"Say, that reminds me! I've got a plan to propose for a short outing. We were fortunate enough to discover the secret of the wild man of the island, last spring—what's to hinder us from going out to Oak Ridge and doing a little investigating there, eh?" demanded Bluff eagerly.
The others looked at him curiously.
"Oak Ridge—that's out in the Sunset Mountains," remarked Will dubiously.
"Seems to me I've heard considerable of that place lately. Isn't there some sort of a ghost story going the rounds about it?" asked Frank, smiling.