Hazel. "But isn't it dangerous?"

"A little, of course. But it would be worse to let sleeping dogs lie.
It may be a harmless tramp--or a poor laborer--a woodsman."

At the same time she knew perfectly well that any character of either
type she mentioned would not go crawling around under stalled motor
cars in the Berkshire hills.

CHAPTER XIV

THE MIDNIGHT TOW

A more frightened set of girls than were our young friends that night
could scarcely be imagined. Although Cora did tramp around after Ed
and his lamp, with her pistol in her hand, she was trembling, and had
good reason to be alarmed. As for Bess and Belle, they were, as Hazel
said, "tied up in a knot" on the bottom of Cora's car, too terrified to
cry. Hazel herself felt no inclination to explore on her own account,
but was actually walking on Jack's heels, as he poked the motor lamp in
and out of possible hiding places, seeking the mysterious shadow that
had been seen to move and had been heard to rustle in the grass.

But he was not found--a big slouch hat being the only tangible clew
unearthed to a real personality. And this Walter dug out of a hole
near a rear wheel of the _Whirlwind_.

"Don't tell the girls," he whispered to Jack, "but here's his
top-piece."

"Put it away--in the _Comet_. We might need it," said Jack, in the
same low voice.

"Well, girls, of course you are frightened," began Ed. "What do you
say to all crowding into the _Whirlwind_ and talking it out the rest of
the night? We could make noise enough to scare away a dozen tramps."

This idea was greeted with delight, even Bess and Belle venturing to
poke their heads out of the tonneau door to beg the boys "all to come
in."

No more thought of Miss Robbins! It was now a matter of doing the best
they could to restore something of the girls' lost nerves. And Ed,
Jack and Walter undertook the task with considerable more seriousness
than it had occurred to the much-alarmed girls it might be necessary to
give the matter.

All the girls asked for was protection--all the boys thought of giving
was confidence.

"My poor, dear _Whirlwind_" sighed Cora, as Ed assisted her into the
tonneau. "To think that you have made all this trouble!"

"No such thing," interrupted Walter gallantly. "It is up to us. We
deserted you just to see who would make the hill in best time, and this
serves us right."

Bess, Belle and Hazel found plenty of room on the broad-cushioned seat,