Once arrived at camp, Nan shouldered the paddles and marched directly to her tent, Jack meekly following. The place seemed deserted. Both girls knew that this was the time for their mother’s afternoon nap. Most of the girls were off on some expedition, and upon inquiry they learned that even ’Lish had gone away with the wagon. Hetty was not to be found, so there seemed nothing to do but “grin and bear it.”
In her various excursions hither and thither about the camp grounds, Nan had kept up the same stony attitude toward Jack who followed closely at her heels, but at the conclusion of the unprofitable search she at last broke forth into speech. “As if it weren’t enough for you to worry me nearly to death by being out there alone.” She began turning her vials of wrath upon Jack. “Those canoes are the most ticklish things, and if you had happened to upset nothing could have saved you. You couldn’t swim, neither could I. You would have been drowned before my very eyes.”
“I wish I had been, if you are going to talk to me that way,” replied Jack tearfully. “I was just going to practice a little, and got along beautifully at first till I got scared about getting back.”
“Practice! I wish you’d not take it into your head to practice quite so near dinner time. I suppose I shall be laid up with a headache from going without food for so long.”
“Oh, Nan, I am sorry,” answered Jack wofully. “I’m hungry, too.”
“Well, you ought to be.” And Nan turned scornfully away, going within her tent and forbidding Jack to follow her.
Left alone Jack took counsel with herself. What could she do to propitiate Nan? It was a very rare occasion when Nan turned upon her in this way. Usually it was this sister who screened her and acted as a buffer when others were making attacks, so it was all the more terrible to have Nan so very, very angry. It was because she was hungry, no doubt. All persons were cross when they were hungry. If she could find something to eat, she might perhaps gain forgiveness. She took her courage in her hand and invaded the kitchen, but all was clean and orderly, not even a crust of bread to be seen. Jack wondered if it would be wrong to pursue her investigations as far as the pantry, but even if her conscience had allowed her she found the door closed and locked between this place and the kitchen. Next she thought of hunting up Miss Lloyd or Miss Marshall, but Miss Lloyd had gone away, she learned from Florence Yardley who had declined to join the expedition which Miss Lloyd had headed. Miss Marshall was lying down. Some of the girls were still on hand, Florence informed her, and one or two of the ladies, not Miss Helen; she had gone with the others, so had Mary Lee and Jean.
Rather than explain why she and Nan had not had dinner, Jack moved off to continue her consideration of the situation and at last determined upon a course which she proceeded to carry out.
Three hours later, Nan, having somewhat recovered her equanimity, appeared at her mother’s cabin. “Where is Jack?” she asked.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Corner. “I thought she was with you.”