“Oh, these children would be happy under the trees all day and satisfied to crawl under cover out of storms,” Miss Mackin’s eyes were dancing now and Cleo caught “their step.”
“You’re a fraud, Mackey Mackin!” she declared, tossing a bit of cracker at the leader. “You are just trying to scare us out of our big night. Why, only the most urgent business has kept Peg away from us all this time, and as for us—we are compelled to wait,” this last in tragic tones.
“Just look over at those youngsters rolling down hill,” interrupted Mackey. “If you’ll excuse me, girls, I’ll go over and be polite.”
“Take care you don’t get caught in the avalanche. Just look at the tidal wave!” said Julia.
“Rather keep your eyes on this table,” ordered Corene. “Don’t one of you dare bolt for the hill; not even if a couple of kiddies get caught in the thickets. I know you girls. Here Clee, carry these things to the kitchen. At least we must leave camp in good order.”
“And the time draweth near,” moaned Louise. “We know now what things will look like when we are gon-n-n-ne!”
“We will be gone for a long, long time!” intoned Julia, and the war time refrain was promptly executed—all of that!
“Here they come! Mercy on us!” exclaimed Grace. “The children are descending from the hillsides!” She grabbed up the food fragments from the table and hurried to hide them in their tin boxes.
“We must tell them how we enjoyed their cakes,” said Corene. “They are after a report, I’m sure.”
“We can’t tell them!” gasped Cleo, “for their settlement-made cookies simply saved our lives.” She moaned and groaned at the thought of the perilous escape.