“I’m not so sure I’d like that,” replied Darry, soberly.
“I think I will have to write a book about seeing a forest fire by radio,” chuckled Amy. “It is almost as thrilling as being on the spot.”
“And quite a good deal safer,” laughed Burd.
So quiet and peaceful and like old times had the last two days seemed that the Radio Girls were quite unprepared for Burd’s announcement that he and Darry and Fol were about to desert the camp again.
“We feel we ought to go down to the swamp and investigate those spooks,” said Darry, in response to their protests.
“But we haven’t heard or seen anything lately,” said Amy.
“If you go down there you may just succeed in stirring up the animals,” added Nell.
“And I didn’t hear any invitation for us to go along,” said Jessie. “We want to, you know.” Darry smiled at her, but shook his head.
“We don’t think you girls had better go until we have a chance to look about first,” he said. “In our estimation, you are a great deal better off right here for the present.”
“There you go! Mysterious again, Darry Drew!” said Amy, with a frown. “What do you suppose could possibly hurt us down at that old swamp?”
“We don’t know, and because we don’t know we think it is better we prospect around a little by ourselves first,” replied Darry, firmly.
“We will probably be back by to-night, anyway,” said Fol, in what was meant to be reassurance.
“Folsom Duckworth, do you mean there is a possibility you _won’t_ be back to-night?” demanded Nell, in surprise, and Fol looked sheepish.
“Not a chance in the world,” he answered. “What would keep us in a swamp overnight, I would like to know?”
“So would I!” retorted Nell, adding, with a sigh: “You boys do interest me strangely!”
Under protest the girls finally consented to fix a lunch for the three boys. They felt uneasy about this sudden expedition to the swamp and would have dissuaded the boys from undertaking it if they could have done so. However, they knew Darry well enough to be sure there was no changing his mind when it was once made up, and in this case they felt sure that Darry had originated and planned the whole thing.
It was with vague misgivings then, that they watched the boys go off on the narrow path that led toward the swamp.