In the morning they woke refreshed to find the sun shining gloriously on leaves and branches that still dripped moisture. Fatigue had miraculously disappeared and there remained only the pathetically blackened trunks of trees to remind them of the tragic happenings of the day before.
They breakfasted early, eager to enlist the help of the forest rangers as soon as possible in the matter of the mysterious hut in the swamp.
It was impossible for Burd to go, as his ankle was still swollen and very painful, so Amy volunteered to stay behind and read to the invalid. This suggestion was not wholly disinterested on her part, for Amy was still more lame than she cared to admit from the exertions of the day before.
The four young folks started off briskly, spurred on by a recognized need of haste but vaguely saddened by the signs of ruin and destruction that had followed in the wake of the fire.
Nearing the ranger station, Jessie and Darry found that they had gone too fast for Nell and Fol, and lingered to allow the other two to catch up to them.
It was while they were seated on a huge boulder idly talking over the events of the day before that Jessie voiced the thought uppermost in her mind.
“Darry, I have been wondering what you did about that poor girl, Link Mullen’s sister,” she said, a little hesitantly. “You never told us, you know.”
“Probably that is because I have not been able to do anything,” returned Darry. “Eileen Mullen is stubborn and she has enormous pride. She positively refuses to return to Link. She declares that when she left home after their quarrel she intended never to go back.”
“I do wish we could help her,” said Jessie, longingly, but as Nell and Fol reappeared at that moment, no more was said upon the subject.
“We have nearly come to the house in the woods where they hung out the wash in the living room,” Nell called, and Darry nodded.