“What I’m wondering,” said Bessie, “is what Miss Eleanor did to keep them from getting Zara. If you ask me, that’s the really clever thing that’s been done to-day. I was dreadfully frightened when I decided that was what they were up to.”
“Well, your telegram helped,” said Dolly. “If it hadn’t been for that, they’d have been taken completely by surprise. Just imagine how they would have felt, if they’d looked up when their train stopped at Canton, and had seen Farmer Weeks coming down the aisle.”
“It would have been dreadful, wouldn’t it, Bessie? Do you know, Miss Eleanor wasn’t a bit anxious to have us stay behind? She was afraid something would happen, I believe. But it’s certainly a good thing that you thought of doing it, and had your way.”
“I was afraid they’d try to play some sort of a trick, Dolly. That’s why I wanted to wait. I couldn’t tell what it would be, but I knew that if Jake was there it wouldn’t do any harm to watch him and see what he did. I didn’t expect to get him on our side, though. Before I talked to him, of course, I was really only guessing, but he told me all he knew about the plan. They hadn’t told him everything, but with what I had guessed it was enough.”
“No one trusts him, you see, Bessie. It’s just as I said.”
“Well, do you know, I shouldn’t wonder if that was one reason for his being so untrustworthy, Dolly. Maybe if he finds that we are going to trust him, it will change him, and make him act very differently.”
“I certainly hope so, Bessie, but I’m afraid of him. I’m afraid that they will find out what we’ve done, and try to use him to trick us, now that we think he’s on our side.”
“We’ll have to look out for that, Dolly, of course. But I don’t believe he’s as black as he’s painted. He must have some good qualities. Perhaps they’ll begin to come out now.”
At Bay City, where they arrived comparatively early in the afternoon, they had a surprise, for Miss Eleanor and all the girls were at the station to meet them, including Zara, who looked nervous and frightened.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’ve come here safely, Bessie,” said Eleanor, flinging her arms about Bessie’s neck. “Your train came right through, didn’t it?”