"Aw, gammon! I wouldn't be afraid
to tackle that fissure--find out what'
back of it--although I'm not a TJ
Scout--ha! ha!--out with the whole
toyshop to-day; all my monkey trap,
pings," exploded a rough voice suddenly
from among a trio of clownish-looking
boys who hovered, vulture-like, on the
edge of the picnic ground, transfixing with
a sanguinary eye the Baby, whose soft
heart was of blueberry "duff."

"An' I tell you what's more, if I were
to climb up an' in there, I 'd trust to my
own 'bean' and a few matches, 'thout
any gimcracks," craked the boastful voice
further, the special gewgaw on which the
braggart fixed his eye, at the moment,
being the little Baldwin safety lamp, four
inches high, which Stud was just lighting,
attached to the front of his olive-green
scout hat.

"Tr-rust to your own 'beaV--your
own head--an' what's inside it! Well
I'll admit it's fiery enough," flouted the
[[138]]

p137 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p138w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p139

v?