With several quick thrusts of her sticks, she started down the trail which led to the Jasko cabin. Penny followed, but she could not overtake her companion. Sara skied with a reckless skill which defied imitation. While Penny was forced to stem, she took the rough track with no perceptible slackening of speed, and had divested herself of skis by the time her companion reached the woods.
“We’ll have to work fast,” she warned, hiding the long runners in the hollow log. “I want you to lock me in the cabin and then get away before Grandfather sees you!”
“What about our tracks in the snow?”
“I’ll blame them all on you,” laughed Sara, “It’s beginning to get dark now. And Grandfather is near sighted.”
“I don’t like this business at all,” complained Penny as they kept close to the fence on their way to the cabin. “Why not tell your grandfather—”
“He would rage for days and never let me out again. No, this is the best way. And you’ll come back soon, won’t you, Penny?”
“I don’t like to promise.”
“I’ll teach you how to jump.” Sara offered attractive bait.
“We’ll see. I’ll think it over.”
“No, promise!” persisted Sara. “Say you’ll come back and at least talk to me through the window. You have no idea how lonesome I get.”