nancy clung close to the trunk
They were pretty tired, exhausted with excitement and extremely hungry. They did not talk much till it was time to start down the mountain again.
CHAPTER XII
LOST
“It will be easy going down,” said Nelly Sackett, when they were rested and ready. “There are several trails down from the top in different directions. But I told Tante we would return the way we came, because that is the quickest way to Round Robin.”
They started off at a brisk pace. “If anyone gets tired, sing out, and we will stop for a rest,” Nelly shouted over her shoulder. “But all keep together.”
“All right!” chorused the Club. But who wants to be the first to cry “tired”? The foremost girls started to skip and hop down the path, and after that they found it hard to go slowly, though their knees began to feel queer kinks. Again Anne brought up the rear; this time because she was really tired. The others were so busy watching their own rollicking steps, laughing and squealing, that no one noticed how Anne was gradually falling further and further behind.
“I don’t need to ask Nelly Sackett’s permission to rest,” Anne said to herself sulkily. She had started out of sorts, and had been growing no less so as the day grew long. “The others can go on a bit,” she thought. “I’m tired of hearing their voices. I’ll catch up when I get ready, for it’s easy walking on this path.”
Anne was not timid about being alone in the woods, as Beverly was. She sat down under a great pine tree and took off her hat, to cool her hot forehead. It was quiet and peaceful in the shade. Around a bend in the path she saw Beverly’s knapsack disappear, as she cantered after the other girls. Anne breathed a sigh of relief. Somewhere in the woods a hermit thrush began to sing his flute-like song; always in three parts. Anne listened eagerly. She had never heard one so near before, though Norma had taught her the song. She rested some time, till the thrush stopped singing, then she felt quite ready to start on again. She picked herself up with a triumphant feeling that she had done as she pleased, with nobody’s leave.