“For goodness sake, open it, Billie,” Laura whispered close in her ear. “It’s beginning to pour pitchforks and I’m getting soaking wet. I don’t care if a hyena lives in there, I’m going in too.”
Billie wanted to laugh, but she was too wet and nervous. So she opened the little door cautiously and peered inside.
For a minute she could not tell whether the hut was empty or not, for it was very very dark. But as her eyes became accustomed to the darkness she felt sure that the place was empty.
“Come on,” she called over her shoulder to the girls, her voice still cautiously lowered. “I can’t see very well, but I guess there’s nobody at home.”
The girls had to stoop almost double to enter the tiny door, but once inside they were surprised to find that they could stand upright.
They were in almost entire darkness, the only patch of light coming from the little door that Vi had left open. Suddenly they began to feel panicky again.
“If we could only get a light,” whispered Vi.
“Goodness, listen to the child,” said Laura scornfully. “She wants all the comforts of home—ouch!” Her toe had come in contact with something hard.
“What’s the matter?” cried Billie startled.
“Matter enough,” moaned Laura. “I’ve broken my toe!”