inued to look at them so queerly that
Billie was convinced that there was something wrong with him. But what
was it? Oh, if only the storm would let up, so they could start back to
the school!

But even when the rain stopped, how could they get back? They were lost,
and at night the way would be even harder to find than in the daytime.

No, they were completely in this man's power. If he put them on the right
path to Three Towers all well and good. If not----But she refused to
think of that.

"I'm sure it isn't raining hard any more," Laura broke in on her
thoughts. "Don't you think we could go now?"

"Even if it hasn't stopped raining we don't mind," added Vi eagerly.
"We're wet now, and we won't mind being a little bit wetter."

For an answer the man opened the door and crawled out into the open. In a
moment he was back with what seemed to the girls the best news they had
ever heard.

"The rain is over," he said, "but the foliage is still dripping. If you
really don't mind getting wet----"

"Oh, we don't!" they cried, and were starting from the door when Vi
suddenly remembered something.

"The ferns!" she cried. "Where are they?"

The girls searched frantically about, knowing that their botany teacher
would reprimand them if they did not bring back the ferns, and finally
found them on the floor where somebody had brushed them in the
excitement.

Then they crept out through the door, their strange acquaintance
lingering behind to put out the light, and found themselves in the cool
darkness of the forest.

"Do you suppose he will really take us back?" Vi whispered, close to
Billie's ear.

"He'd better!" said Billie, clenching her hands fiercely against her
side. "If he doesn't I'll--I'll--murder him!"

"Goodness, don't talk of murder," cried Laura hysterically. "It's an
awful word to use in the dark, and everything!"

CHAPTER IV

AT THE SCHOOL AGAIN

"There's only one word worse," said a gloomy voice so close behind them
that Vi clapped a hand to her mouth to keep from crying out. "And that,"
the gloomy voice went on, "is _theft_!"

The girls never afterward knew what kept them from breaking loose and
running away. Probably it was because they were paralyzed with fright.

While they had thought the man was still in the hut he had come softly up
behind them and had overheard the last, at any rate, of what they had
said. Billie, as u