window a crack. The howl of the storm and the lash of
rain was appalling, and it was two or three minutes before she could
accustom her sight to the outer blackness. But when she did manage to
distinguish something, she was startled to observe not only one, but
_two_ dark figures circling slowly round and round the log, like two
animals after the same prey, and watching each other cautiously.

"But that's not all!" muttered Phyllis, behind her. "There's a third
figure standing in the shadow right by Curlew's Nest. I saw him out of
the side window. What on earth can it all mean?"

So absorbed were they that neither of them noticed the form that slipped
into the room behind them and stood peering over their shoulders. But
they were suddenly startled beyond words to hear Eileen, close behind
them, catch her breath with an indrawn hiss, and mutter involuntarily:

"Oh, _Ted!_--Be careful!--Look out!--_Look out!_--"

CHAPTER XVI

RAGS TO THE RESCUE

Phyllis whirled about. "What is the matter? Why do you say that?" she
demanded in a fierce whisper.

Eileen shrank back, evidently appalled by what she had unconsciously
revealed. "I--I--didn't mean anything!" she stammered.

"You certainly did!" Phyllis declared. "You said something about 'Ted.'
Who _is_ 'Ted,' and what is going on outside there?"

"Oh, I don't know!--I'm not--sure! I'm dreadfully nervous--that's all."

"Look here!" cried Phyllis, with stern determination, "I believe you know
a great deal more than you will acknowledge. You've said something about
'Ted.' Now, I have a brother Ted, and I've reason to think he has been
mixed up with some of your affairs. I wish you would kindly explain it
all. I think there's some trouble--out there!"

"Oh, I can't--I oughtn't," Eileen moaned; when suddenly Leslie, who had
glanced again out of the window, uttered a half-suppressed cry:

"Oh, there _is_ something wrong! They're--they're struggling
together--for something!"

Both of the other girls rushed to the window and peered out over her
shoulder. There was indeed something decidedly exciting going on. The two
figures who had been circling about the old log, watching each other like
a couple of wild animals, were now wrestling together in a fierce
encounter. How it had come about, the girls did not know, as none of them
had been looking out when it began. But it was plainly a struggle for the
posses