“Shall I get something for them, Miss Elting?” questioned Harriet.
The guardian nodded. Harriet ran into the tent, where she quickly prepared some roast beef sandwiches. These she carried out and handed to the leader of the bear. He divided with his companion. The two men sat down by the fire and began eating voraciously.
“You gotta coffee?” asked the leader, his mouth so full of the sandwich he was eating that he was barely understandable.
“No. We have no coffee made,” replied Miss Elting. “You will have to get along with what you have.”
“You maka coffee. You maka now!”
“What?” cried Crazy Jane belligerently. “You order us to make coffee for you, you lazy good-for-nothings? Get out of here before I lose my temper with you.”
“Easy, Jane!” warned Miss Elting.
“You no giva coffee, I letta out da bear,” threatened the leader, scrambling up and running to the tree where the cinnamon bear was secured. The second Italian also had risen to his feet. He was edging toward the rear of the tent, evidently thinking that he was not observed. But Harriet, though not appearing to notice, was watching him narrowly. Tommy and Margery were trembling with fear. Harriet and Jane were unafraid. They were getting a little angry, however. Miss Elting slipped into the tent and getting her revolver, secreted it in a fold of her skirt. Just as she emerged the second Italian ducked in under the edge of the tent. The tent had been staked down firmly and as the man was somewhat stout he stuck when half way under the side wall.
“Come out of that,” commanded Harriet.