The children started and looked about apprehensively. Luke's words always carried weight by reason of the fact that he had been two years in the third grade and ought to know what he was talking about if he didn't.
"Yes," chimed in Billy, coming close to Louise again and speaking in his most dramatic tone. "Just you dare to draw a deep breath, and he'll tell the Kaiser on you!"
Louise gasped—a short, a curtailed little gasp. Never till the Great War should be over would she breathe from her diaphragm again!
"Oh-o-o-o, Louise!" from round-eyed Tinsie Willis.
"What?"
"You've left your book-satchel out there in the path! Just suppose he were to come by and see it!"
There was a moment of consternation, of wild chattering, in which everybody poked his head out to see, but nobody would venture far enough to get the incriminating satchel.
Then Tommie Warren had an inspiration. Snatching a crooked-handle umbrella from Ella Vaiden, he flung himself flat on the grass and reached for the tell-tale satchel with the crook.
"It's a good thing Ella brought that umbrella!" exclaimed Tinsie. And all looked at Ella, who stood up very straight in spite of the low-dipping boughs. The next moment Louise had her beloved book-satchel hugged close to her pounding heart.
"Sh-h-h!" suddenly came from a self-constituted sentinel.