“Keep it up,” said Val.
“Keep what up?”
“Why, Bar is off!”
“Bar off? You don’t mean to say he’s cut it for good?” was Zebedee’s almost breathless response.
“Can’t say about that,” said Val. “All I know is that he went away this morning, and may be gone some days, if not longer. There’s a secret in it.”
“Is there?” said Zeb. “That’s a great comfort. You won’t tell old Sol, will you?”
“Why, the secret.”
“Oh, I don’t know it myself, and I ain’t half sure that Bar does. He’s gone after it.”
“And George, too, he must have a secret,” groaned Zeb. “I think I must tell Dorothy Jane to keep a sharp eye on Euphemia. Val Manning, it’ll be a bad thing for Ogleport to lose Bar Vernon just now.”