“All right dear. Forgive me for asking you,” answered Tavia, now so eager to make up for the mistake she had made in “losing” Dorothy.
“The same thing only different,” exclaimed Ned, as he came out of the cave with a big black bag in his arms. “This is our silver, ladies—Silver, this is our ladies,” he joked, as he brought the bag over and dropped it at Dorothy’s feet.
“Oh!” exclaimed both girls.
“Isn’t that splendid!” continued Dorothy. “I did not know that was in there. But do let us go home now, boys. If there is any thing else we can—you can come back for it, and you will be safer with John.”
“I guess that’ll be about all,” answered her cousin. “Now, how will we load up! Ned you take the crate, and I’ll put the bag on my back. There must be coal in the bottom, for our silver didn’t weigh a ton.”
“This is our silver, ladies” Page [60]
It took but a few moments to “load up,” and presently the party was making their way to the open road, having decided to take the longest way ’round, for the shortest way home.
“Poor little Urania!” sighed Dorothy, as she reached the broad bright roadway. “I wonder which way she went?”
“A pity we couldn’t find her,” said Nat, “but we’re not through looking yet. She must be found before night fall.”