Jess looked at her curiously. Barnacle was still barking with desperate determination. Liz appeared before the Central High girls climbed to the top of the hillock, and catching the dog by the collar, dragged him over to the corner of the log cabin and snapped on his chain.
“There!” Laura heard her say. “Ye kin bark your head off—but ye can’t run.”
The girl went back to her cook-tent and began clearing up the breakfast things again. Laura noted that she seemed to have done nothing while they were down on the shore.
But that was not surprising; perhaps she had crept near to overhear the talk with the sheriff. Now Liz said nothing to any of them, and went grimly on with her work.
“It’s my turn to help you get dinner, Lizzie,” Laura said, quietly. “What are we going to have? Shall I begin by peeling the potatoes?”
“No. Don’t want yer,” said Liz, shortly.
“Why! of course you want some help––”
“Don’t neither!” snapped the maid-of-all-work.
“Why, Lizzie!” said Laura, in surprise—at least, in apparent surprise! “You surely don’t want to do all the work yourself?” 199
“I’d ruther,” responded the girl, ungraciously. “You gals are in my way in the tent.”