“On her land?” gasped Eliza.
“It wouldn’t do any harm,” argued Jane. “She never comes up here, nor her cows nor horses either. We’ll climb right over and dump the thing in. That’ll settle Martin’s ever finding it, an’ everythin’.”
“But s’pose——” Eliza objected once more.
“Oh, ’Liza, we can’t stay here s’posin’ all day!” Jane declared decisively. “We got to put this bag somewheres, an’ there ain’t any spot that ain’t got some out about it. We must take a chance on the best one we can find.”
“I’m frightened to death!” wailed Eliza.
“So’m I!” Mary echoed. “Oh, Jane!”
“No matter. Pull yourself together,” 102 ordered Jane sharply. “You two take a hold of the bag an’ bring it along, while I climb the wall.”
Ellen, stooping behind the elderberry bushes, held her breath. She saw Jane clamber over the barrier and help Mary and Eliza to mount it and lower the sack into her hands; then, just when the three invaders were all ready to drop their mysterious gray burden into the stream, she stepped noiselessly into the open and said loudly:
“What you doin’ in my brook?”
A cry rose from the two more timorous Howes, and even Jane paled a little.