turn," announced Jane finally, bringing her car to
a stop. The highway on which they had been riding was shaded with
second-growth trees, as was the intersecting road. The latter was
narrow; but, from Jane's investigations, she having stepped down to
examine it, it was hard though not well-traveled. "Have you been here
before, Miss Elting?"

"No, Jane; I have not. Go ahead and drive carefully, for I hardly
think it a main road."

"It's a good one, whether it is a main road or not."

They moved on down the side road, and, gaining confidence as they
progressed, Jane McCarthy let out a notch at a time until she was
traveling at a fairly high rate of speed. Their way wound in and out
among the small trees and bushes that bordered the road, the latter
narrowing little by little until there was barely room for turning out
in case they were to meet another vehicle. However, there seemed
little chance of that. The motor car appeared to be the only vehicle
abroad that night.

The road now was so dark that it was only by glancing up at the tops
of the bordering trees, outlined against the sky, that the driver of
the car was able to keep well in the middle of it. She was straining
her eyes, peering into the darkness ahead.

"How far?" demanded Jane shortly, never removing her gaze from the
trees and the roadway.

"We must be near the place. Surely it cannot be far now," answered the
guardian. "I thought we should have seen a light before this."

"We're coming into the open," broke in Jane. "I'm glad of that. Now we
needn't be afraid of running into the trees or the fences, if there
are any along the track. I can't make out the sides of the road at
all. I--"

A sudden and new sound cut short her words. The girls, realizing that
something unusual was occurring, fell suddenly silent. The roadway
beneath them gave off a hollow sound, as if they were going over a
bridge. The fringe of trees had fallen away, while all about them was
what appeared to be a darkened plain or field. Yet strain their eyes
as they would, the travelers were unable to distinguish the character
of their surroundings, though Harriet Burrell, with chin elevated, had
been sniffing the air suspiciously.

"I smell water," she cried.

"Tho do I," lisped Tommy. "But I don't want a drink."

Jane began to slow down as soon as the new sound had been heard. The
car was rolling along slowly. For some unaccountable reason the driver
put on a little more speed.