ked box again, and she soon drew forth her
treasure-casket. She fondled the collar of pearls as she had on the
first night Ruth had slept in the van.

The girl was watching for that evil face at the window again. For a
moment she thought she saw it, but then she recognized that it was
Roberto's handsome face against the wet pane.

Suddenly Ruth realized that the old woman had fallen asleep over her box
of valuables. The girl was confident that there had been a drugged bowl
at supper time, but _she_ had not eaten of it.

There was a little noise at the door--ever so slight. The handle turned,
and Roberto's head was thrust in. He nodded at Ruth as though he were
sure she was not asleep, and then creeping up the steps, he gazed at his
grandmother.

There could be no doubt that she was sound asleep! He slipped in and
closed the door. At first he did not say a word to Ruth.

He went to Zelaya's side and shook her lightly. She did not awake. As
though she were a child, the strong youth lifted her and placed her in
the bed. Then he locked the small box, put the key again around Zelaya's
neck, and lowered the treasure box into the chest. The padlock of this
he snapped and then turned cheerfully to the watchful Ruth.

"Come!" he whispered. "Missy not afraid of Roberto? Come!"

No. Ruth was _not_ afraid of him. She rose quickly and preceded him, as
he directed by a gesture, out of the door of the van. There was neither
light nor sound in the whole camp.

Once they were free, Roberto seized the girl's hand and led her through
the darkness and the rain. Ruth's tender feet stumbled painfully over
the rough ground, but the boy was not impatient.

He seemed to know his way in the dark by instinct. Certainly, Ruth could
scarcely see her hand before her face!

However, it was not long before she realized that they had come out upon
the shore of the island. There was a vast, empty-looking place before
them, which Ruth knew must be the open lake.

Where the sentinels had gone, she could not guess, unless Roberto had
managed to drug _them_, too!

However, there was not a word said, save when Roberto led her down, to
the water and she felt it lave her feet. Then he muttered, in a low
tone:

"Don't fear, little Missy."

As they waded deeper and deeper into the lake, following as she supposed
the track by which the wagons had come to the island, Ruth _was_ more
than a little frightened. Yet she would not show Roberto it was s