Wanaka laughed then, to herself.
"I say we'll look after you," she said, still smiling. "But so far it looks more as if you were going to look after us. You saved Minnehaha in the lake—and to-night you saved all the girls from being frightened. But we'll have to begin doing our share before long."
"As if you hadn't done a lot more for me already than I'll ever be able to repay!" said Bessie. "And I know it, too. Please be sure of that. Good-night."
"Good-night, Bessie."
In the morning Bessie and Zara woke with the sun shining in their faces, and for a long minute they lay quiet, staring out at the dancing water, and trying to realize all that happened since they had said good-bye to Hedgeville.
"Just think, Zara, it's only the day before yesterday that all those things happened, and it seems like ever so long to me."
"It does to me, too, Bessie. But I'll be glad when we get away from here. It's awfully close."
"And, Zara, Jake Hoover was around here last night!"
"Does he know you're here? Was that why he came?"
"No," said Bessie, laughing again at the memory of the ghost. And she told Zara what had happened.