anyhow?" asked Dick belligerently. He did not like the
appearance of the woman, nor her tone.

"It is not necessary for me to tell you anything," she replied, with
assumed dignity. "If I am not wanted, I will go."

"Maybe it would be better," said the hackman. "Now, can I help you,
young lady?" he asked kindly, as the woman hurried off.

"I only want to go home to Crystal Bay, and to my mother," said Freda,
and she briefly explained the circumstances.

"Well, it's too bad, but I'm afraid you can't get back to Crystal Bay
to-night," declared the hackman. "The last train has gone."

"The last train gone!" gasped Freda. "Oh, what am I to do?"

"Now don't you worry a mite," replied Dick. "I'll just take you home
to my wife, and she'll look after you. Don't you worry," and, after
some persuasion he prevailed on Freda to go in his ramshackle rig to
his home, where she was kindly received by his wife.

"I'll go back to the station to meet the express that sometimes stops
at the Junction," explained Dick, "and, Miss, if there come any
inquiries for you I'll tell where you are. But you'll have to stay
with us till mornin', I reckon."

Freda's mind was easier now, but she could not imagine what had been
the object of the strange woman, nor why she had sent the telegram.

Meanwhile, back in the bungalow, there was much alarm when Freda was
missed. And when her mother came home safely, and found her daughter
gone, she almost collapsed.

"Where can she have gone?" she wailed.

Hasty inquiries were made, and one of the boatmen told of having seen
Freda start out through the woods, and meet the station messenger boy.
After that it was easy to trace her.

Mr. Burke told of the 'phone message, and of having seen Freda board
the train for the Junction.

And then a new difficulty arose. There was no train to the Junction
that night; but Mrs. Lewis was in such a state that nothing short of a
visit to the place would satisfy her. There was no telephone available
then, the Junction station being closed.

Cora solved the trouble.

"We can go to Hartford in our boat," she said, "and from there it is
only a short trip to the Junction. We could hire an auto."

This was done. In the _Chelton_, the motor girls and the boys went to
Hartford, making good time in getting there. A neighbor came over to
the bungalow to stay with Mrs. Lewis, who grew more alarmed as the
night deepened.

The trip by auto, which was taken only by Jac