It was Peggy who answered MacDonald.
"And it was a nice time of night for you to send a message asking us to bring Joanne down the trail!" she cried, her voice trembling.
"We——" began Aldous, when he saw a sudden warning movement on MacDonald's part, and stopped. "Let us take the ladies home," he said.
With Joanne clinging to him, he led the way. Behind them all MacDonald growled loudly:
"There's got t' be something done with these damned beasts of furriners. It's gettin' so no woman ain't safe at night!"
Twenty minutes later they reached the bungalow. Leaving Joanne and Peggy inside, now as busily excited as two phoebe birds, and after Joanne had insisted upon Aldous sleeping at the Blacktons' that night, the two men accompanied MacDonald a few steps on his way back to camp.
As soon as they were out of earshot Blackton began cursing softly under his breath.
"So you didn't send that damned note?" he asked. "You haven't said so, but I've guessed you didn't send it!"
"No, we didn't send a note."
"And you had a reason—you and MacDonald—for not wanting the girls to know the truth?"