“She’ll give me my nevergitovers, just as she says. You can’t stay here and watch her.”
“But we’ll find a way to keep her from beating you when we are gone,” Tom promised. “Don’t you fear her at all.”
“I don’t care where you put me, Aunt Suse will find me out. She’ll send Elnathan Spear after me.”
“I don’t know who Spear is——”
“He’s the constable,” sobbed Bella.
“Well, he sha’n’t spear you,” declared Tom. “Come on, kid. Don’t be scared, and we’ll get you down all right.”
He found the clothes-stick Miss Timmins had abandoned and used it for a brace. With a rope tied to the handle of the plank door and drawn taut, it was held half open. Tom then climbed out upon and straddled the door and raised his arms to receive the girl when she lowered herself over the eaves.
She was light enough—little more than skin and bone, Tom declared—and the latter lowered her without much effort into Henri’s arms.
When the three girls and Aunt Kate at the tavern window saw this safely accomplished they hurried back to their rooms to dress.
“Something must be done for that poor child,” Ruth Fielding said with decision.