Presently he heard a long cooey, and cooeyed an answer with a sense of triumph.
"And here we've been full of fears, like a couple of grandmothers, and she's found them coming back like a pair of puppies, a little ashamed of themselves for having run away," he said, with a joyous little laugh, but it was Betty alone he saw crossing the bridge when he arrived there.
"I thought surely you were bringing them with you."
"I've found—this," Betty said, holding out a large white ribbon bow. "It's Eva's bow."
"And where?"
"At the turning which leads to the bush."
Their eyes met for a moment. "That, at any rate, gives us some clue as to where to look for them. We ought to be thankful for the bow and its message."
"What message?" asked Betty.
"That they are safe somewhere, I feel certain of it. I was more frightened by the river than the bush. Strayed children can be found."
The sound of wheels from behind them made them look round, and they saw that already some of their party were on their homeward way.