The man in the boat gave an exclamation. He seemed half inclined to put back after her. “The scalawag!” he muttered. “If I’d ’a known that!” But Anne waited to hear no more, not even to thank him for the kindness he seemed already to repent. She began to run along the path, strangely confused because it seemed to go in the wrong direction. It was like running “through the looking glass!” It was only when she caught sight of the boys’ camp, and Dick Reed coming to meet her with a shout of welcome, that she was sure she was really headed for home.
“Scalawag!” the word echoed in her ears. She had never heard it before. What did the man mean? Was he insulting her or her father with that name? She resolved to hold her tongue as he bade her.
CHAPTER XIII
ANOTHER SIDE
In answer to Dick’s reassuring call “Here she is!” the Round Robin came running, pale and anxious, to greet Anne. Not a word of reproach did she hear. Only affectionate joy that she was safe.
The girls had re-climbed the mountain as soon as they missed Anne, and had hunted for her up and down, until they saw it was growing late, when they were afraid of being overtaken by the dark. When they returned with the news that Anne was lost, the Camp was in consternation. Dick wanted to start out immediately on search. But Tante made the boy wait to hear what Captain Sackett should advise, after Nelly had told him.
While Anne had her late supper the others gathered round to hear her story. The Twins could not get close enough to her. But mindful of the tall stranger’s caution, Anne did not mention the hut in the woods, nor say much about the man who had brought her home; though she did mention the cave, at which word Dick pricked up his ears.
Even while Anne was concluding her description of how it felt to be lost alone on the mountain; and while the Twins were still shivering to think how dreadful it would have been to stay out there all night, Captain Sackett came striding up. His wrinkled face was anxious and drawn. He carried a lantern in his hand, evidently prepared to make search through the dark for the lost girl.
“Any news?” he called from a distance, unable to wait. And when they shouted “Found!” he gave a low fervent ejaculation of thanksgiving that went straight to Anne’s heart. “I didn’t know anybody cared so much about me!” she said to herself.
“Nelly’s almost sick,” said the Captain. “She blames herself for having let Anne get lost. For of course, this one’s a tender-foot, though she has lived in these parts longer than Nelly has. The girl oughtn’t to have let Anne stray off. I told her so!” The Cap’n looked unwontedly stern for him.