This was all Beverly could get out of her. But it was enough to set them thinking. “I wish I had understood this before!” cried the Captain jumping to his feet. “We must look into this! I wonder where the men went to?”
It needed Anne or Dick to give the final clue. And even while they talked Anne appeared in the doorway of the barn, a little pale, but quite herself. It was the frowning look on the old squaw’s face that caused the others to turn and see Anne there.
Beverly jumped to her feet and ran forward. “Oh Anne!” she cried. She had promised Tante not to bother Anne. But when she spied her tent-mate standing there, she couldn’t help giving her a big affectionate hug. Tears came into Anne’s eyes. So one of her friends at least did not despise her for being the daughter of a thief! She put her arm through Beverly’s and stood facing the Captain. “I think I know who did it!” she cried. “It wasn’t she, it was the two moonshiners.”
“Moonshiners!” The Captain stared. “What do you mean, Anne? What do you know about moonshiners?”
“I haven’t had time to tell you yet,” said Anne. “They have a camp on the mountain, and a cave on the shore, not far away. Ask Dick. We saw them. ‘P. Leveen’ is one, and F—Mr. Poole writes to him. They must have had the key of the cellar; for they had been taking back their jugs and things.”
“Ugh,” grunted Sal Seguin. “So!”
“I think they burned up Idlewild to punish me for telling,” Anne went on. “They will probably do worse now. But I am not afraid any more,” she smiled at the Captain, “now you know all about it!”
Here Aunt Polly appeared and led Anne back to her room. “You got to rest,” she warned, with a nod to the Captain.
“Ask Dick. He can tell you all about it,” said Anne over her shoulder as she was led away.
“Well!” said the Captain. “It’s a queer story, if it’s true. Maybe Anne ain’t quite herself and imagines it all. I must find Dick. Then, if it’s so, I must get two or three men and we will go after those moonshiners. P. Leveen; I don’t know that name.”