“We may be going in the wrong direction, or round and round in a circle!”
“We may—I am afraid it is more than probable. I have been thinking that it might be better to stay where we are. We can’t have strayed very far out of the course as yet, but—” Again he stopped, and this time Margot completed the sentence.
“I know! It’s not safe to wander about when we can’t see what is ahead. I’ve been thinking the same thing. We had better sit down and wait. They will come to look for us. I’m sure they will come, and there’s a cottage somewhere near, where we have been for milk. That’s another chance. If we keep calling the people, they may hear us.”
“Oh yes, yes! Some one will hear, or the mist will rise as suddenly as it fell. It will be only for a short time,” returned the Editor sturdily. “Now look here—the ground is soaking—you can’t possibly sit on it without something underneath. If you could spare your cape it would serve us both as a rug, and I’m going to wrap you up in my coat.”
He loosened his arm, as if to take off the said coat forthwith, but Margot’s fingers tightened their grasp in very determined fashion.
“You are not! I won’t wear it. I absolutely refuse to do any such thing. How can you suggest such a horridly selfish arrangement—I to wear your coat, while you sit shivering in shirt-sleeves? Never! I’d rather freeze!”
“Put it the other way. Am I, a man, to hug my coat, and let a girl sit on the soaking grass? How do you suppose I should feel? I’d rather freeze, too!”
Margot gave a quavering little laugh.
“It seems to me we have a pretty good chance of doing it—coat or no coat. If I am a girl, I’m a healthy one, and I must take my chance. Did you happen to put your newspaper in your pocket this morning? That would be better than nothing.”
“Of course I did! That will do capitally. What a blessing you thought of it! There! Sit down quickly, and I’ll pull a bit down under your feet. Can’t I wrap that cape more tightly round you? And the hood? Hadn’t you better have the hood up?”