gs girls will do. I guess they are gone
to the pond. Suppose we go and see."

This was Hugh's voice, and as no one proposed any thing else, the party
left the quarry, and, hallooing as they went, directed their steps towards
the pond.

"Let us run after them!" said Jessie, who now began to feel as if she had
carried the joke far enough.

"Hush! you little coward," said Emily, placing her hand over Jessie's
mouth. "They aren't half frightened enough about us yet."

Jessie tried to get her mouth away from her cousin's hand. In doing so she
stepped backwards, and, losing her balance, fell with a splash into the
water.

"Oh!" cried she, in a great fright. But the water was not deep, and the
side of the "cave" kept her from falling entirely down. Hence, a thorough
fright and wet feet and dress were the only evil results of her misstep.

"Pooh! what a silly little goose you are," said Emily, in a taunting tone
of voice. "If you had done as I told you, you wouldn't have got that
wetting."

"I'm afraid I have done too much as you told me already," replied Jessie,
crying, "and now I'm going right after our party, as fast as I can."

With these words Jessie stepped out of the cave, tripped across the
quarry, and ran out into the open pasture; Emily, not liking to play "lost
child" all alone, followed her. But their party was no longer either in
sight or within hearing, for an elevation in the ground rose between them
and the two girls.

"Guy! Hugh! Richard! here we are!" screamed Jessie, at the top of her
voice.

Vainly did she scream, however. The wind blew the sounds back upon
herself, and she began to run in the direction of the pond.

"Don't be in such a hurry," said Emily, hanging back.

"We _must_ hurry," replied Jessie, "or we shall be really lost. See, it's
almost sundown! And it is so damp and chilly that I am shivering with
cold. Come, Emily, do make haste, there's a dear, good cousin."

"If I am your _dear, good cousin_, you won't drive off and leave me,"
retorted Emily, still lingering and moving only at a snail's pace.

"Oh dear! what shall I do!" exclaimed Jessie, looking very wretched, and
she certainly felt as unhappy as she looked.

"Wait for me!" said Emily, "that's what you _ought_ to do!"

Thus urging her stubborn cousin, Jessie pressed forward as fast as she
could get her companion along.

Meanwhile the rest of the party had hastened towards Joe Bunker's stand.
On their arrival they found