“I’ll try,” she answered. She knew what the guardian meant. “It” meant Miss Elting’s revolver. All at once the girl darted past the man who stood directly in front of her. She had almost reached the tent, when one of the tramps caught hold of her by the shoulder. Harriet was lithe and quick. She slipped from his detaining clutch and sprang back. But her opportunity was gone. The men partly divining her purpose, had quickly blocked the entrance to the tent. The leader nodded to one of them to watch Tommy and Margery. Three others directed their attention to Miss Elting, Harriet and Hazel. They placed themselves in such positions that the girls were hedged in. To try to run would be to fall into the clutches of one or another of the three ruffians who were guarding them.
One of the men uttered a shrill whistle. Still another tramp came running into the camp.
“Turn out the tent in a hurry. Don’t take anything that ain’t good. There’s money in there somewhere. Now turn your pockets out, ladies.”
His words were cut short by a long wailing cry uttered by Harriet Burrell.
“Hoo-e-e-e-e! Hoo-e-e-e-e-e! Help, help!” It was the call of the Meadow-Brook Girls, with the warning cry for assistance added.
The man who had made the demand sprang at her. Harriet leaped back. In doing so she felt her arms pinioned by a second man. She had forgotten for the moment that there were guards behind her. Miss Elting suddenly found her arms gripped from behind. She struggled with all her strength. So did Harriet. Hazel screamed as she felt her own arms pinioned.
“Herd the other two in the tent, then git all the swag you can find,” commanded the spokesman breathlessly, for he was having his hands full helping his assistant to hold Miss Elting and the two girls. One grasped Tommy and Margery by their arms, and fairly dragging them over, flung them into the tent. “Get the stuff! Never mind those two. They’re too scared to bother. It’s these that we’ve got to look out for,” he directed.
“Hoo-e-e-e-e-e! Hoo-e-e-e-e-e! Help, help!” screamed Harriet.
“Yell, Hazel!” gasped Harriet.
“I—I can’t! Oh, I can’t!” wailed Hazel.