“Not of any money,” replied Mrs. Remington. “I had that beside me, and I would have wakened up if anybody had come near. But—some of you girls may think that it’s a worse loss than money—all our food’s gone! They took hamper and all!”
Marjorie looked from one to the other, aghast at the news, which by this time was familiar to the rest of the scouts. She glanced questioningly at Ethel, and saw by her expression that she had said nothing of their alarm in the night. But no doubt this was the explanation of the halted car.
“But what are we to do?” demanded Alice, almost hysterically.
“We’ll have to go back,” replied Mrs. Remington, quietly. “For there may be no stores farther on, and we know of the one we left yesterday.”
“But that will mean a whole day lost!” wailed Florence.
“Two days, Flos,” Ethel corrected her. “One day going back, and another day coming forward. What’s the matter with your mathematics?”
“Two, out of our surplus of ten—that leaves us eight.” Marjorie calculated rapidly. “Yes, it will be our best plan to spend our time as Mrs. Remington suggests—it will be the most economical in the end.”
“Couldn’t we beg or buy a meal at one of these shacks that we’re always passing?” suggested Florence.
“No, we’d be running too big a chance,” answered their chaperone. “The food might not be good—we might all get sick. Besides, we have several days of camping ahead, and we must store up.”
“But who do you suppose did it?” persisted Alice.