“Don’t joke now, Megsy dear,” Virginia said seriously, “I believe that we have come upon a matter of great importance. This message may contain information, if we can get at it, that may not only restore to Mr. Wilson his stolen sheep, but may also save the life of our dear friend Tom.”
Then she showed them the three words she had copied and told them what she believed them to mean.
“But Virg, dear,” Margaret said, “although I sincerely hope that the message does refer to the lost Merinos, you know that we are now in the sheep country and those three words might refer to any herd, shouldn’t you say so?”
Virginia nodded. “You are right, Megsy. My eagerness to find Tom makes me grasp at straws. Nevertheless, I would never forgive myself if I found out, too late, that this message did really refer to Mr. Wilson’s lost sheep, and so, I will repeat what you heard me saying to myself a minute ago. We’ll do it and we’ll do it at once.”
“Suppose we have breakfast out here on the sunny porch,” Winona said, appearing in the doorway with a basket weave tray heaped with golden corn bread hot from the oven. “Margaret, will you bring the mugs that we used last night, and Barbara, perhaps you will help her, as each one is filled with steaming coffee.”
When the two girls had gone within, Winona turned to Virginia who stood intent again upon the message. Laying a slim, dark hand on the arm of her friend, she asked, “Have you found the meaning yet, Virginia?”
Virg glanced up, her cheeks flushed with excitement, then, taking the hand of the Indian maiden, she held it close as she said, “Winona, maybe, just maybe, this message may tell us where to find Tom, and oh, how I do want to find him.”
Tears sprang to her eyes as she added, “He is as dear to me as a brother, I think.”
“Tom will be found,” Winona said in a tone of quiet conviction.
Virginia looked up eagerly as she asked, “Winona, you say that as though you really knew.”