But the girls cried out excitedly: "Found! What wonderful luck!"
"How did it get here?"
"This must be a thieve's [Transcriber's note: thief's?] hiding place! Oh, maybe the thief is around here!"
"What shall we do!"
"Do? I'll say grab it and get out of this place as soon as we can.—And keep running until we reach the bus line. Don't wait a minute, girls! I'll just lay suspicion by nailing this board back again!" And Kit gave some good swinging strokes with the hatchet.
The girls ran in terror, for they expected the thief to be in pursuit. They glanced back anxiously with little squeals. But Bet hugged the fan to her breast and did not speak.
The four girls waited for the bus at the deserted corner of the woods. It was already dusk. Bet looked anxiously about, fearing to hear a long whistle, a signal of the thieves. So many things had happened recently the girls did not feel safe. They might be held up, even yet. It seemed hours before they saw the bus.
Shirley hailed it and the girls climbed on trying compose themselves and not look self-conscious.
Suddenly Shirley jumped to her feet. "My camera! I shouldn't have left it there! I never want to see that place again!"
"Ssh! Don't talk so loud, Shirley!" Bet whispered. "And don't worry. We'll ask Bob and Phil to come up with us and get it. We'll tell them to bring a shot gun! And who knows, maybe in the meantime you'll get your picture of a deer."