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 got to his feet somewhat shakily, and they fought their way back to the little clearing. "Now," said Bob, "we'll just sit down and look at that view we came up here to see and get rested for a quarter of an hour. I don't know how Laurie feels, but I'm all in!"

"I'll bet you are," responded Laurie. "Guess I had the easiest part of it."

"You look it," answered Bob sarcastically. Laurie's face was brown with dirt, his knuckles were bleeding, there was a cut on his chin, and his clothes were torn until they looked fit only for the ragman. Ned, who had been scowling blackly for the last minute or two, broke into sudden speech.

"Of all the crazy lunatics, Laurie," he began fiercely.

"Oh, please, Ned!" cried Polly. "He didn't mean to do it!"

"Let him say it," said Laurie humbly. "I deserve it, and it'll do him good."

But Ned's eloquence had fled him. He said "Humph!" and turned his head away and stared hard at the wide expanse of scenery spread before him. The others pretended not to know that