up.

Having twisted around in some manner, she just sat there and stared at
the three boys in khaki.

"Now she's wondering what we're going to do," said Mark, as they stood
with the woman between them.

"Yes, she's frightened again, poor thing," remarked Elmer. "I'm afraid
it's these uniforms that have done it. She surely takes us for soldiers,
and thinks we've come here just to arrest the whole bunch."

"I'm glad of one thing, though," said Lil Artha.

"What might that be?" asked Elmer.

"Looks like she must have dropped that fierce frog sticker when she
fell, because you notice she hasn't got the old knife in her claws just
now."

"That's right," admitted Mark, cheerfully, for the fact naturally
pleased him.

"And here it is, right at my feet," said Elmer, as he stooped and took
something from the ground.

It was the knife which the Italian woman had flourished so recklessly.

"My stars, what a savage-looking thing!" ejaculated Lil Artha, as he
stared at the knife.

"Well, it does look wicked for a fact," remarked Elmer; "but after all,
I reckon she's never done anything with it but cut dandelion greens, or
else prepared fish," and he took occasion to bring the blade close to
his nose while speaking, only to make a face, as though the fishy odor
that clung to the steel might be far from pleasant.

"Well, we've overhauled the lady; now whatever are we going to do with
her?" demanded the tall scout.

"I wonder if she understands English?" remarked Elmer.

"Try her and see," Mark suggested.

The woman had been watching them keenly all this while. Her manner
suggested that she might be trying to read her fate more from their
actions than any words which they would let fall.

Accordingly, Elmer stepped forward a pace.

"No hurt," he said, in the gentlest tone he could muster;
"friends--boys--no soldiers."

"She don't savvy worth a cent, Elmer," said Lil Artha, in disgust.

"And her eyes keep following your movements with the knife, as if she
thought you meant to strike her," observed Mark.

Elmer himself saw that this was a fact. Plainly, then, the woman could
not understand English, and in her present state of fright she seemed
incapable of reading his reassuring gestures. What he meant to be a sign
of friendliness she interpreted as a symbol of hostility.

"Seems to me we ought first of all to get her foot free from that nasty
tangle," he remarked.

"Sure, and I guess the only way to do it is