"We shall have to go," said Jill. "Now don't you give the boys away, Mary. Pretend they are about somewhere."
The girls made their way to the men, who flashed a light on them.
"Where are the boys?" demanded the man.
"Haven't you seen them?" asked Jill. "They must be about somewhere. Maybe they are in the tent. Have you looked?"
"Yes," said the man. "Now look here—what do you mean by lighting this stove out here? Are you trying to signal to anyone?"
"Good gracious! Of course not!" said Jill. "We only made some hot cocoa, that's all. Look—there are our dirty cups."
She wished she had not said this when the man looked for the cups—for he saw at once that there were only two! He looked at Jill suspiciously.
"Why did the boys not have the cocoa?" he asked.
"They weren't here when we made it," said Jill. "Why don't you go and look for them?"
The man turned out the stove, and the light flickered and went out. "Now don't you dare to show a light at nights," he said. "If I think you are signalling to anyone you will be very sorry!"