“Could you come for us at five or five-thirty, before anybody is up, you know?”
“I guess so,” said Hilary.
Bright and early the next morning, Cathalina and Hilary whistled softly outside of Laugh-a-lot and were joined by three stealthily moving figures which slipped out of the klondike, permission having been asked the night before.
“Isn’t this fun?” said Betty. “What if we really should find something?”
Little birds disturbed in their slumbers twittered a little from the trees as the girls passed. Jo had a spade, which she had secured soon after the conversation with Campbell. June had a trowel, and Dot carried a stout stick, which she had sharpened.
“We had the awfullest time doing anything to get ready last night, because the girls asked what we were doing.”
Arrived at the cabin, the little girls peered eagerly around and the big girls pretended to do so. The hunter’s cabin itself was of no particular interest, because of having been explored before. They did not consider taking up the floor to dig or doing anything to injure property that belonged to other people. “O, don’t I wish I owned this place,” sighed Dot. “I’d dig and dig whenever I needed exercise!”
“There’s an awfully old looking pine tree, Dot,” said Jo, “and not far from that ledge either.” To the older girls’ great amusement, Dot brought forth a ruler, which they had not noticed before.
“They are actually going to measure according to that silly verse,” whispered Cathalina.
As if to explain the performance to more critical judgment, June said, “Now I don’t suppose that there is anything in that verse, but if we are going to dig at all we may as well have some plan.”