"Suppose you call this the abstract," almost sneered Daisy, who evidently did not relish being crowded.
"Certainly I do," declared Clip. "Just gaze on the abstracted Turtle!"
"Who's that?" whispered Hazel nervously. A step could be heard in the roadway.
"My bandit!" breathed Clip. "Oh, my darling, desperate bandit!"
"Hush!" cautioned Cora, for she felt the possibility of Paul's captors being about still. Then two figures appeared from the sharp turn in the road. Cora wanted to start, but hesitated. The figures came closer. They were those of two well-dressed men; that was easily discernable.
Clip put her hand over her heart.
"Oh-h=h!" she groaned audibly. "Isn't he handsome!"
Hazel clutched at her sleeve. "Do stop!" she begged. "They may be—"
"They are!" answered Clip, and, as the men halted beside the Turtle, she deliberately jumped out and approached them.
The other girls were spellbound. Cora, too, left her place—she knew
Cecilia's recklessness and felt it her duty to stand by her.