STUNTS AND STUNTS
For a minute or two, Tom sat swinging his legs, contemplating Hervey.
"When it comes to stunts," said he, "you're down and out. You belong to
the '_also rans_.'"
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"I can----"
"Oh, yes, you can do a lot. You ought to join the Camp-fire Girls. You
were asked to stay at camp--I'm not talking about yesterday. I'm talking
about all summer. There's an easy stunt. But you fell down on it. Don't
talk to me about stunts."
"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
attitude 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.