Keeping her face down, the girl raced on.
Determining that she should not escape without an explanation, Penny gave chase. The runner had an excellent start, but on coming to a series of wooden steps, her heel caught in a small hole. Down she went, and before she could arise, Penny had overtaken her.
Observing that the fall had not injured the girl, she said sternly:
“Now little Miss Robin Hood, will you kindly explain why you tried to exterminate me with that arrow?”
Sitting up, the girl ruefully rubbed an ankle and gazed at Penny with hostile brown eyes.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” she retorted. “I had no intention of hitting you. My aim is perfect.”
“Modest, at any rate,” observed Penny, smiling despite a determination to appear very stern. “You did write the warning note?”
“Naturally.”
“Why, may I ask?”
“Because in the first place, you have no business being on our property. Secondly, I didn’t want you to go to the thatched roof cottage.”