“Ha, ha, ha! I was just going to tell the Lees about the robbers and the camp. But you can tell them, if you like.”
“All right—hang up and I’ll tell them,” said Mr. Bentley.
Now, May had heard this conversation and when the men spoke of robbers and camp she trembled with fear. By the time Mr. Bentley had told his story, she was so weak that she had to sit down. Finally she managed to get in a word, so she asked:
“But where are the girls? Did anything happen to them?”
“Oh, they are all right! They’re stopping at the Freedom Hotel until the police can get all their testimony.”
“Thank goodness. The furniture can quickly be replaced, but the girls’ lives cannot. Now we will have to plan to refurnish their huts,” said May.
“Refurnish—why! Won’t you insist upon their coming home now?” asked Mr. Bentley.
“Why should they come home now, just after they cleared the pests out of their vicinity? Of course not!”
“Well, I suppose you are right in one way. But Allison and I expected they would come home to-morrow.”
“Poor girls! They were having such a wonderful time in camp, too! I guess I will get Mrs. Vernon’s sister to take me to Freedom in the morning to see if there is anything we can do.”