"What has happened?" asked Cora further.
"I can't tell you here. They might find me, and they'd know the boat."
"We can hide the boat in the bushes, and you may come up to the camp," suggested Cora. "That boat is not hard to lift."
"If you only could, but I'm too done up to help," faltered the woman.
Cora and Hazel easily shifted the light canoe up into the deep grass. Kate got on her feet again, and, following the girls, all made their way to a spot entirely closed in with heavy hemlock trees.
"We may talk here," suggested Cora. "This is what we call our annex—the annex to our camp."
"It's better than the shack I've been living in," murmured the woman. "I'm done with that. Here," and she slipped her hand in her dress, carefully taking from a patched place in her skirt a small article. "This is yours—I know it!"
"My ring!"
Cora's eyes sparkled akin to the gem at which she was gazing. Hazel looked on dumbfounded.
"Yes, it's your ring, but don't ask me how I got it," said Kate, "though I'm pretty sure you can guess."