Louise stood, for once, speechless. She hung mechanically to the handle of the basketful of provisions, but she was too surprised to move. It was Winona who finally took courage to come forward and explain.
“I’m Winona Merriam,” she said, “and this is my friend, Louise Lane. We are over at Camp Karonya, the Camp Fire, you know. We found this little girl yesterday, and we came over to-day to bring her home. Does she—does she belong here?”
“Why, of course she does,” said Vicky. “Thank you for bringing her. She’s always trailing off that way, aren’t you, Sand? How long you been gone?”
“Is she your sister?” asked Louise, who had her breath by this time.
“M’hm,” nodded Vicky. “Why—why, Alexandra Mitchell, where’s your hair?”
“It got boxed!” exclaimed Sandy gleefully. “Isn’t it nice?”
“I’m afraid we’ll have to explain about that,” said Winona bravely. “Your little sister strayed into a little fishing-trip four of us were having yesterday, very hungry and rather dirty, and without all her clothes on. And from the way she talked we thought she was—well, we washed her and dressed her, and—I’m sorry—shortened her hair, it was so tangled. I’m ever so sorry. I think it will grow——”
Vicky stared a minute at Alexandra, very proud of herself, neat, clean, dressed and bobbed. Then instead of being angry she sat down on the floor, where she was, and burst into a fit of laughter.
“You thought—you thought—oh, my goodness!”
“Yes,” said Winona. She sat down, too, and finally went off herself. “Yes—we did!”