She arrived, as she believed undiscovered, at their hiding place in the woods.
Phyllis and Mollie heard her light footfalls and gave a united sigh of relief. Their friend had escaped discovery. So far all was well!
Madge leaned over the opening of the cave, to reassure her friends before she crawled into it again.
"It's all right!" she cried softly. "I saw no one, heard nothing. We can get away, without any trouble, in another hour."
She crouched down to slip into the place of concealment. At the same instant the three girls heard a noise. It was unmistakably the hurried tramp of heavy feet! Mike Muldoon burst through the thicket of trees, his face blazing with heat and anger.
CHAPTER XVIII
ON A STRANGE SHORE
Madge had just time enough to leap to her feet. She would not allow their determined enemy to catch her while in the act of hiding.
"Keep still," she whispered quickly to Phyllis and Mollie. Then she turned, with flashing eyes, to the approaching figure of Captain Mike Muldoon.