—A clearing in a thick wood. Left, the bean-stalk; right, the sugar-plum tree and the telephone tree. The four children, Kit, Joscelin, Maysie, Gillian, are discovered, with their clothes somewhat torn and mussed. The girls are seated on a fallen log. An open and empty lunch-basket lies before them. The boys, armed with sticks, are moving about. At the rise of the curtain Maysie is sobbing.
Kit. Cheer up, sis. What’s the use of crying? It isn’t so very late, is it, Jos? We can’t be many miles from home. We’ve got our compass along, you know; and all we have to do is to keep due east.
Gillian. I’m sick of our old exploring, anyway! (Sniffling a bit.)
Joscelin. You make me tired, Gill! What do we care?
Gillian. It was your plan, Jos, and you see how it has come out. I believe that farmer was telling you a whopper when he said there was a robbers’ cave in these woods.
Kit. O no, he wasn’t. It is a true story. Tommy Field’s father says it is. He says people have been hunting for the cave a hundred years, and that there is treasure——
Maysie (wiping her eyes). I’d rather have a nice big piece of bread and molasses than ten million rubies, I would!
Joscelin. We may find some checkerberries yet.
(The roaring of a bear, and the trolling of a song, heard.)
The Girls (rushing toward the boys). Oh! Oh! Oh! A bear! What shall we do?