AT THE SCHOOL AGAIN
“There’s only one word worse,” said a gloomy voice so close behind them that Vi clapped a hand to her mouth to keep from crying out. “And that,” the gloomy voice went on, “is theft!”
The girls never afterward knew what kept them from breaking loose and running away. Probably it was because they were paralyzed with fright.
While they had thought the man was still in the hut he had come softly up behind them and had overheard the last, at any rate, of what they had said. Billie, as usual, was the first to recover herself.
“Will you take us to Three Towers now?” she asked in a voice that she hardly recognized as her own. “Do you know the way?”
“Yes,” he answered, adding moodily, as though to himself: “Hugo Billings ought to know the way.”
Billie caught at the name quickly, for she had been wondering what this strange person called himself.
“Hugo Billings!” she said eagerly. “Is that your name?”
The man had started on ahead of them through the dark woods, but now he stopped and looked back and Billie could almost feel his eyes boring into her.
“Did I say so?” he asked sharply, then just as quickly turned away and started on again.