“I don’t know. Let’s follow this path. If we don’t see their tents or wagons soon, we’ll go back.”
They turned into a path that led down from the rock around the desolate patch of water. It appeared to have neither inlet nor outlet, and was doubtless fed by springs from below, though it was hard to imagine a pure spring bubbling up into those black and murky depths.
“I don’t believe it’s here,” said Marie when they had gone on for some distance. “Let’s go back!”
No one opposed her, and there were sighs of relief from all as they got back to the rock. Then, with a look over the calm and dead surface of the pond, they turned into the path again, while the rasping voice of a crow, perched in a lightning-blasted pine tree, seemed to laugh at their defeat.
“Horrid creature!” murmured Natalie, and they hurried on in silence.
“Are you sure we came this way?”
“Where are some of those hairpin-blazed trees?”
“I don’t remember this road.”
“And I’m sure we never passed this pile of rocks!”
The Camp Fire Girls came to a halt and looked at one another. It was growing dusk, and they had been walking away from Bear Pond for perhaps half an hour. They thought they would soon be at the cove where they had left their boats, but when Mabel propounded that question, it raised doubts in all their minds.