“Not afraid about leaving our things unguarded, are you?” asked Wee Willie. “It would be a joke on us if that lunatic happened around, and cleaned us out of everything.”
“We’ll have to take chances on that,” Elmer decided, “but I reckon there isn’t much danger. We can close the door, and wedge it fast, so that any one’d believe it was barred inside, and that some of us were at home.”
“You said it, Elmer,” chuckled the other, “takes you to think up clever little schemes right along. I suppose we can expect to get a good ducking before we’re through this job.”
“Oh! well, we’re not made of sugar or salt, Wee Willie; and we’d stand much more than that for Perk!”
“I should think we would!” quickly declared the tall chum, energetically, as though anxious to put himself on record. “Why, I’d go through fire and water for him, and think little of it. I’m only worrying for fear something might happen to Perk, something serious you know.”
“Yes, such as a tree falling on him in the storm,” Elmer added, “or his breaking a leg by tripping over a trailing vine as he ran headlong, trying to find some sort of shelter. But let’s hope nothing like that will happen.”
“I’ve put a cake of chocolate in my pocket, Elmer, in case we don’t get back to camp to-night, and feel hungry; you fellows had better do the same. Wonderful lot of nourishment in chocolate you know. Think I’ll get another, for Perk, when we find him.”
“Now that’s a good idea,” agreed Elmer, “and I’ll see that Amos follows suit.”
“You didn’t want him to stay alone here while we were gone, I noticed, Elmer. What was the big idea?”
“In the first place, three might be better in scouring the woods than two. Then again I was afraid Amos would feel it terribly if left all alone in a storm, and as nervous as he is just now, worrying over his father. He was pleased when he heard me say all of us were to go.”