Presently the path opened up, permitting a view of the tree house. The girls could see Jane leaning out of the tiny window.
As she caught sight of the four on the trail, she waved and motioned for them to hurry.
Quite breathless, the girls reached the oak and climbed the stairway to their little house.
“You’ve been gone ages!” Jane accused them.
“We’ve been terribly worried,” added Rosemary, jumping up from the window seat. “What made it take so long?”
Veve started to tell about being lost on the trail, but Connie cut her short.
“There isn’t time for that now,” she said, recalling Mr. Karwhite’s urgent message. “We have to leave right away!”
“That’s right!” agreed Sunny. “A storm is coming up.”
Now Miss Gordon had noticed that the little house was swaying gently in the tree. She had observed too that the sky was darkening. However, she had not realized how fast the wind was rising.
At Sunny’s words, she went quickly out on the tiny balcony.