dim figure, flitting from one dark place to the next, a
wild idea formed in her mind.

It was risky--but Bessie was not timid. If Jake Hoover caught
her--well, she knew what that would mean. He would not spare her, as his
father had done, and there would be trouble for her, and for Zara and,
worst of all, for Wanaka and her other new friends. And there was
another danger. It might not, after all, be Jake Hoover that she heard.

At the Hoovers' she had heard stories of tramps and wandering gypsies,
and she had been warned, whenever there was a report that any such
vagrants were about, to keep off the roads and stay near the house.
Jake, after all, could only betray her to his mother and the others who
were after her, but a tramp or a gypsy might do far worse than that.
But, though the solitude and the darkness were enough to frighten people
older and stronger than Bessie, she kept on. And at last, before her,
she heard footsteps tramping down the dry leaves and branches, and she
heard a murmur of voices, too.

At once part of her fears fled, for it was Jake Hoover's voice that came
to her ears.

"Ha-ha!" he was laughing. "Gee, it took you fellers long enough to git
here. But, say, boys, won't we have some fun with them girls? Actin' up
just like they was boys, sleepin' out in the woods an' pretendin'
they're as brave as anythin'. I saw that one that bought a lot of truck
from Paw to-day. Bet she'll scream as loud as any of them."

"Bet she will," said another voice. "Say, Jake, we won't hurt 'em none,
will we? Jest throw a scare into them, like?"

"Sure, that's all!"

"'Cause I wouldn't want to hurt 'em none. They're jest girls, after
all."

"All we'll do will be just to get around them tents an' start yellin'
all at once--an' I'll bet they'll come a-runnin'. Ha-ha!"

But the laugh was frozen on his lips. As he spoke he looked behind him,
warned by a faint sound--and his hair rose. For waving its arms wildly,
a figure, all in white, was running toward him. As it came it made
strange, unearthly sounds--horrid noises, such as Jake had never heard.

For a moment Jake and the two boys with him stood rooted to the spot,
paralyzed with fear. Then they yelled together, and, the sound of their
own voices seeming to release their imprisoned feet, turned and ran
wildly, not knowing where they were going.

They tripped over roots, fell, then stumbled to their feet again, and
continued their flight, shrieking. And behin