156“A piece of paper tacked to a tree,” said Sahwah. “What does it say?”
They all stopped to read. The only writing on the paper was the legend, THE DARK OF THE MOON SOCIETY. Above it there were three marks done in red paint, which gave them a curiously lurid effect. They consisted of a circle with two diamond-shaped marks underneath it.
“What on earth—!” said Hinpoha.
“Those funny-shaped marks are a blaze,” said Sahwah. “It was one of the number we learned, don’t you remember, Hinpoha? I believe it means ‘warning,’ or something like that. ‘Important warning,’ that’s it. Now I remember. This message is supposed to read:
“‘IMPORTANT WARNING!
THE DARK OF THE MOON SOCIETY.’”
“What on earth is The Dark of the Moon Society?” asked Katherine.
They all shook their heads. “It’s something the boys are up to,” said Gladys. “I suppose they are going to play some joke on us in return for our neat little trick the day we climbed the trees and watched them get supper. Just watch out, something will be doing before very long.”
“Let’s find out what it is and get ahead of them,” said Katherine, her eyes beginning to sparkle.
157From that time on there was a suppressed feeling of excitement on Ellen’s Isle. The Winnebagos watched every movement the Sandwiches made, and it seemed that there was something suspicious about the glances that were constantly being exchanged between the Captain, Slim and the Bottomless Pitt.
“Those three are at the bottom of it,” declared Katherine to the other girls who were gathered on her bed. “I don’t believe the rest of the Sandwiches know a thing about it. I heard Dan Porter asking the Captain what they were talking about down on the beach awhile ago and the Captain said, ‘Oh, nothing,’ in that tone of voice that means, ‘It’s none of your business.’”