“She’s there, old dog!” Billy caught Bouncer’s nose tight in his hand to prevent a repetition; and at that instant May Nell herself appeared at the window!
It took two hands to hold the dog’s mouth shut now; and for a minute that Billy thought much longer, it seemed as if he never would be able to make him keep quiet. But he succeeded at last, and turned again to see May Nell standing in full view with her finger on her lips.
“Are you hurt?” Billy spelled with the hand alphabet every boy and girl knows.
“No; well,” came the answer.
“Alone?”
“Not in the house; in this room, yes.”
“Who?”
“One of the brothers, hurt.”
“Any one else?”
“I don’t know.”