t was coming next. I think that would frighten a good many people who
are really brave."

"Bessie, why do I always get into so much trouble? All this happened
just because I changed those signs that day."

"Oh, I don't know about that, Dolly. It might have happened anyhow. I've
got an idea now that they knew we were around, and that John planned to
kidnap one of us and keep us until someone paid him a lot of money to
let us go. Something Lolla said made me think that."

"Then he was just playing a joke when he said he wanted to marry me?"

"Yes, I think so, because I don't think he was foolish enough to think
he could ever really get you to do that. I did think so at first, but if
that had been so I'm quite sure that Lolla wouldn't have helped him."

"She'd have been jealous, you mean?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure, you see, that she saw him and talked to him when
we went over to their camp that time, so that she could take orders from
him to Peter. He knew he'd be watched, so he must have made up his mind
from the first that he would have to have help."

"I wonder what he is doing now, Bessie."

"I certainly hope he's still over there at the camp, sitting near that
guide. The guide said he would shoot him if he tried to get away, you
know."

"My, but I'll bet there's been a lot of commotion over this."

"I'm sure there has, Dolly. Probably all the people at the hotel heard
about it, too. I'll bet they've got people out all through the woods
looking for us."

"I wish we'd meet some of them--and that they'd have a lot of sandwiches
and things. Bessie, I've simply got to sit down and rest. I want to get
back to Miss Eleanor and the girls, but if I keep on any longer I'll
drop just where we are. I'm too tired to take another step without a
rest."

"I am, too, Dolly. Here--here's a good place to sit down for a little
while. We really can't be so very far from Long Lake now."

"No," said a voice, behind them. "But you're so far that you'll never
reach there, my dears!"

And, turning, they saw John, the gypsy, leering at them. His clothes
were torn, and he was hot and dirty, so that it was plain that he had
had a long run, and a narrow escape from capture. But at the sight of
them he smiled, evilly and triumphantly, as if that repaid him amply for
any hardships he had undergone.

"Don't you dare touch us!" said Bessie, shrilly.

She realized even as she said it, that he was not likely to pay any
attention to her,