“Press your upper lip and don’t dare do it,” whispered Elinor.
“Shut up, all of you,” said Ben, as the motor car drew up beside the hedge at one side of the house.
“If there is any shrieking to be done,” added Mary, “I’ll do it. I’m the best shrieker in the sophomore class. I know how to do it in the top of my head——”
“Sh-h-h!”
CHAPTER III.—THE MUSICIANS OF BREMEN.
Nancy could not keep from trembling slightly as she heard the car panting at a little distance and realized that perhaps a moment of real danger was near, in spite of their joking. Elinor, too, felt very much like giving away to a few tremors, but she reproached herself for such weak behavior and held her body as rigid as a stone image while she said sternly in her mind:
“My knees are not at all weak. It’s only the position I am lying in that makes them feel queer.”
A sound as though a heavy foot had been placed on the step outside was heard and then a voice which Billie recognized as that of the one-eyed man said:
“Well, young lady, I suppose you have had about enough of this? We have kept our word, you see, which I judge you found on the paper, as you are still here.”
There was a short silence. Evidently Charlie nodded assent to the supposition and the motion gave full satisfaction, for the voice went on, “Has any one been around, miss? You didn’t hear the sound of any voices, did you, while we were gone? We saw some people in the field as we left. Did they come this way? Speak up, miss.”