“What’s to be done?” cried Miss Campbell, spreading out her hands with a gesture of helplessness.
The girls looked at each other. What was to be done? In their infinite respect for Billie’s powers as a chauffeur, they had never conceived of a danger like this.
“We could make a tent for Cousin Helen of one of the rugs and use cushions for a mattress, and the rest of us could roll up in our steamer blankets and sleep on the ground,” suggested Billie with a certain thrill of anticipation in her voice. Deep in her secret soul she could not help enjoying this little adventure.
“Then, in the morning,” pursued Nancy, who was likewise a silent partner in this guilty pleasure, “we can go to the nearest farmhouse or ranch and ask for help.”
“But—” objected Miss Campbell and Elinor in one voice, and then paused for want of a better suggestion.
In the ocean of shadows, somewhere an immense distance away, one little light twinkled and blinked at them tantalizingly.
“Nancy and I might go over and ask for help where that light is,” began Billie.
“Never! never!” cried her cousin. “Oh! my child, what are you thinking of? Could you imagine for a moment I would let you and Nancy go wandering off into the wilderness? Better die together than apart.”
“But we won’t die at all, dearest cousin,” Billie assured her. “We’ll all live to tell what a wonderful night we spent together under the stars.”
“I think we’d better build a fire and get supper,” put in Mary.