"Ah, but it is—a very great matter," he exclaimed eagerly, laying a hand on her arm, as she turned away to climb up to the cavern.
Some inward force seemed to be impelling her, and scarcely aware of what she was saying, she murmured her own name, and he repeated it after her.
This brought a still deeper color to her cheeks; but as if remembering all she had so strangely forgotten in the presence of this enemy of her country, she pushed away his detaining hand, and passed quickly up the rocks to where Mary was standing.
The young man said nothing more, but looked up at the two; then lifting his hat, he turned and walked slowly away.
CHAPTER XII
He had scarcely gone when the two girls made haste to leave the cave and return to the house.
"'T is most unfortunate for us, Dot, that he found the cave, or that all this should befall," said Mary, as they went down the rocks. "You know what we have to do to-night; and it may make our work dangerous, now that he has been here."
A soft whistle interrupted Dorothy's reply; and looking up, they saw the lean visage of Johnnie Strings, who was perched upon the rocks above the cave they had just left.
Having attracted their attention, the pedler made haste to join them.