“Oh!” gasped Ruth, in a tone that expressed volumes. “So it was you!”
Jack explained why he had remained home from the excursion. “And I was sort of lonely last night—all the other scouts were away, you know; so I decided to give you girls a scare. And I did especially want to get you, because I knew you never were nervous and it wouldn’t upset you like it would some girls.”
“I was scared, all right. But how did you ever make that awful noise? I suppose a sheet was fixed up for the disguise?”
“Yes; and the noise was a violin. I heard Bill Mackintosh practicing on his new violin on Saturday night, making the most unearthly sounds you ever heard. That put the idea into my head. I went over and asked him to go out with me to give the Girl Scouts a scare. Of course he was tickled to death to go.
“We slipped away right after supper, and watched you through the cabin-window. Maybe I wasn’t glad when I saw you were the one to go after the water!”
“You horrid, mean thing!” said Ruth.
“I admit it. Punish me any way you like!”
But Ruth could not think of any return for his act. During the rest of the ride, and all through dinner, her mind was on her own affairs. Absently, she answered the questions that were put to her, and entered but occasionally into the conversation. The rest of the party attributed her mood to the experience through which she had just passed, and left her alone with her thoughts.
They rode all afternoon, so that she had no opportunity to be alone with Marjorie; but when the latter said that Lily would be away until the next morning, she asked to be allowed to visit her right after supper. “I have something I must tell you before I go to bed to-night!” she added.
“All right,” said Marjorie. “But I wish you would forget it!”