"Do you think it"s easy to hang around camp all the time? It"s hard, you can bet."
"Sure, it"s a _stunt_. And you can"t do it. Little Pee-wee Harris can do it, but you can"t. Don"t talk stunts to me. I know what a stunt is."
"What"s a stunt?" Hervey asked, trying to conceal the weakness of his att.i.tude with a fine air of defiance.
"Why, a stunt is something that is hard to do, that"s all."
"You tell me----"
"I"ll tell you something I want you to do and you"re afraid to do it--you"re _afraid_."
"I won"t take a dare from anybody," Hervey shouted.
"Well, you"ll take one from me."
"You dare me to do something and see."
"All righto. I _dare_ you to go up to your troop"s cabin after camp-fire and tell Mr. Denny that you"ve been a blamed nuisance and that you"re out to do the biggest stunt you ever did. And that is to do what you"re told. Tell him I dared you to do it, and tell him what you said about not taking a dare from anybody. Tell him you never knew about its being a stunt.
"Of course I know you won"t do it, because it"s hard, and I know you"re not game. I just want to show you that you"re a punk stunt-puller. I _dare_ you to do it! I _DARE_ you to do it!"
"I won"t take a dare from anybody!" said Hervey, excitedly.
"Oh, yes, you will. You"ll take one from _me_. You"re a four-flusher, that"s what you are. Go ahead. I _dare_ you to do it. You won"t take a dare, hey? I _double_ dare you to! There. Now let"s see. Go up there and tell Mr. Denny you"re going to get away with the biggest thing you ever tried--the biggest stunt. And to-morrow morning before the Court meets you come in here and see Mr. Fuller and Uncle Jeb and me. Now don"t ask any questions. You came in here all swelled up, regular fellow and all that sort of thing, and I"m calling your bluff."
"You call me a bluffer?" Hervey shouted.
"The biggest bluffer outside of Pine Bluff."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"I wouldn"t take a dare from you or anybody like you!"
"Actions speak louder than words."
"I never saw the stunt yet----"
"Well, here it is right now. I dare you. I _dare_ you," said Tom, jumping down and looking right in Hervey"s face, "I DOUBLE DARE YOU!"
Hervey grabbed his hat from the bench.
"A kid that gives a double dare For shame and grins he must prepare."
he shouted.
"That"s me," said Tom.
Before he realized what had happened, he heard the door slam and he found himself alone, laughing. Hervey had departed, in wrath and desperation, bent upon his next stunt.
CHAPTER x.x.x
THE DOUBLE DARE
Mr. Denny"s troop had turned in with the warmth of the roaring camp-fire still lingering in their cheeks when the black sheep went up the hill.
The scoutmaster, sitting in his tepee, was writing up the troop"s diary in the light of a railroad lantern. He showed no great surprise at his wandering scout"s arrival.
"Well, Hervey," said he. "Back again? I told you it would be better to wait till morning. Missed the train, eh? You see my advice is sometimes best after all." He did not look up but continued writing. If Hervey had expected to create a sensation he was disappointed. "Better go to bed and catch the nine fifty-two in the morning," said Mr. Denny kindly.
"I came back because Tom Slade sent for me. I"ve got to get a medal, but I don"t care anything about that."
"So? What"s that for?"
"I always said that fellow Slade was a friend of mine, but I wouldn"t let him put one over on me, I wouldn"t."
"You mean he was just fooling you about the medal?"
"Maybe you can tell," said Hervey. "Because anyway I didn"t do anything to win a--the Gold Cross."
Mr. Denny raised his eyebrows in frank surprise. "The Gold Cross?"
"I don"t care anything about that, anyway," said Hervey; "but I wouldn"t take a dare from anybody; I never did yet."
"No?"
"He said--that fellow said--he said I wouldn"t dare to come up here and tell you that I can--do anything I want to do."
"That"s just what you"ve been doing, Hervey."
"But you know I"m good on stunts? And he said--this is just what he said--he said I couldn"t do that kind of a stunt--staying here when I"m told to. He dared me to. Would you take a double dare if you were me?
They"re worse than single ones."
"N-no, I don"t know that I would," said Mr. Denny, thoughtfully.
"He said I wouldn"t dare--do you know what a four flusher is?"
"Why--y-es."
"He said I wouldn"t _dare_ to come up here and tell you that I know I"m wrong to make so much trouble and he said I couldn"t do a stunt like staying in camp. Would you let any fellow call you a Camp-fire Girl--would you? Gee Williger, _that_ stunt"s a cinch!"
Mr. Denny closed his book, leaving his pen in it as a book-mark, and clasping his hands, listened attentively. It was the first slight sign of surrender. He looked inquiringly and not unkindly at the figure that stood before him in the dim lantern light. He noted the torn clothing, the wrinkled stocking, the outlandish hat with its holes and trinkets.
He could see, just see, those clear gray eyes, honest, reckless, brave....
"Yes, Hervey?"