Judy secretly had made up her mind she would lie awake a long while to be sure that nothing went amiss in the cottage. However, her bed was so pleasantly comfortable, that despite her firm resolution, she dozed off almost at once.
When finally she awakened, it was to find herself being shaken by Ardeth.
“Get up, lazy!” the latter ordered. “It’s late! Your aunt has been up for at least half an hour.”
“Jumping fishes!” Judy exclaimed in dismay, dragging herself from beneath the covers. “I must have slept like a log all night.”
“I know I did,” Ardeth confessed. “What a fine pair of guards we proved to be!”
“Well, at least nothing went wrong here,” Judy said, pulling on her shoes. “I’m relieved on that score.”
Dressing fast, the girls hastened to the kitchen. Miss Meadows had the stove going and was cooking cereal. She appeared pale, however, and there were dark shadows under her eyes.
“Did you sleep well, Aunt Mattie?” Judy asked politely.
“Very badly.”
Judy and Ardeth exchanged a quick, worried glance. Both hesitated to ask the question which was foremost in their minds.