“I think we’d do well to go straight to the lake shore before it gets darker,” proposed Marian. “Blue Wolf will be there. He can find them. I know he can. Don’t you remember, he said if any of us got lost he’d find us? The sooner we see him and tell him, the sooner he’ll start to hunt for them. We can’t do any good just staying here after dark.”
“It’s dreadful to think of leaving them behind to—” Betty’s voice broke.
“If any harm has come to Ruth, I’ll never forgive Blanche Shirly.” All the pent-up emotion of Emmy’s Latin temperament vibrated in her tones. “I don’t care much what happens to her.”
“Neither do I,” flared Jane hotly. “I despise her! She—”
“Girls, girls!” Miss Drexal held up her hand. “Remember you belong to the Camp Fire. I cannot allow you to talk so of Blanche. You may live to bitterly regret such harsh words. We can only hope that no harm has come to either Ruth or Blanche. The safety of Blanche is as important as the safety of Ruth. I am ashamed of both of you!”
“I’m sorry for what I said,” apologized Jane contritely.
Emmy, however, was silent. Love of Ruth made it very hard for her to forgive one who had wronged her idol. In her own mind, she laid the blame for the whole affair at Blanche’s door. Like Jane, she had not been asleep to the churlish fashion in which Blanche had treated Ruth all along.
“I think, with Marian, that our wisest plan will be to go straight to the shore before dark. We shall hardly make it, at that.” Miss Drexal endeavored to hide her own gloomy apprehensions. “I am confident that Blue Wolf will succeed where we have failed. Forward march, now, and try to keep up your spirits. We are doing the only sensible thing to be done under the circumstances.”
It was a weary and heart-sick company that stumbled its way through the growing twilight of the forest, finally arriving at the edge of the lake almost a quarter of a mile below where they had landed. Out under the open sky it was still fairly light, yet by the time they had plodded sadly along the shore toward the point where the two canoes were moored, the shadows of evening were closing down upon the island.
Fully expecting to see the Indian already there and waiting for them, it was a crushing disappointment to all to come upon only the two canoes. On him was based their one hope of finding the lost girls. He had promised to return before sunset. Now it was almost dark and he, too, was among the missing. Undoubtedly something had happened to delay him, Miss Drexal assured. He was not one who would wilfully break his word. He was likely to heave in sight at any moment.