"It is there just the same. We can reach it in one minute from here—by running."
"Let's run, then!" whispered Helen, energetically.
"We'll wait our chance. They are watching too closely now. By and by they must get more careless. Then we'll try it."
"But I don't just see what we can do in that boat," queried Helen, after a moment's thought.
"Push out into the lake, so that they can't reach us. Then risk being seen by Tom or somebody else who will help us escape the Gypsies."
"But these men will follow us," said Helen, with a shudder. "They can swim—some of them—surely."
"And if they try it, we'll beat them off with the push-pole," declared Ruth. "Keep up your pluck, Helen. They will not really dare hurt us—especially if they expect to get money for our release. And I'd like to know," added Ruth, with rather a bitter little laugh, "who will pay my ransom?"
"I'll make father pay whatever they ask," whispered Helen. "Oh, dear! won't he be just mad when he hears about it?"
Soon the activities of the camp changed. It was plain to the two girls that their captors had no intention of spending the day in this dell by the lake side.
A number of the men and boys had gone off with some of the horses early. Now they returned, and it was evident that the men were angry, if not a little frightened. They talked loudly with Zelaya, and the Queen of the Gypsies seemed to be scolding them soundly.