CHAPTER II.--FRIENDS IN NEED.
"There she goes," Nancy Brown had exclaimed as "The Comet," Billie'smotor, whirled by; "too proud even to ask her old friends to take aspin."
"Now, Nancy," protested Elinor, "don't be too hard on her. Remember, shehas not seen any of us since we were children. Perhaps she's forgottenall about us. Besides, I've been thinking that we ought to have done thefirst speaking. She was starting right for us when Belle Rogers stoppedher."
"Well, I tried twice to speak to her," said Nancy, "and she wouldn'tlook at me. I am afraid we shall never get a ride in that pretty motorcar, and the only one I was ever in was the stationary automobile at thetintype place at the County Fair."
The girls walked on silently for a few moments. The red motor car hadturned a curve in the road and was out of sight and the place seemedvery lonely and still. The afternoon shadows were beginning to lengthenas the sun moved slowly behind the pine woods, which formed a darkbackground against the flat, green meadows about West Haven.
"I can't imagine why we should be wasting time about a friend who hasforgotten us," exclaimed Mary Price, "when Elinor has brought us outhere to tell us some mysterious secret. Don't you think it's about timeto begin, Elinor? It's getting late and we've still a good ways to go."
"I was just going to," answered her friend, "but suppose we take theshort cut across the fields, and I'll tell you on the way. Two otherpeople are in the secret, Charlie Clay and Ben Austen. They havepromised to meet us at the old house. Of course, the whole thing may beof no importance."
"But what is it?" interrupted Nancy. "You keep dodging around the bush."
"Now, Nancy," answered Elinor, who had a calm, placid disposition andnever hurried about anything, "don't put your most peculiarcharacteristic off on me. You know very well that you are the one wholoves to keep a mystery until we are all of us nearly bursting withcuriosity."
"Don't quarrel, children," interrupted Mary. "Remember that members ofthe Blue Bird Society are bound over not to quarrel."
"We aren't quarreling; we're just discussing. But do go on, Elinor. Ican't stand the suspense much longer."
"What I am going to tell you," said Elinor, "may be of the vastestimportance or it may be just nothing whatever. At any rate, I didn'twant to take any chances and it was simple enough for us to meet theboys out here and see for ourselves."
"See what, Elinor Butler?" ejaculated Nancy impatiently. "You alwaysbegin at the last of a story and tell backwards."
Elinor smiled provokingly.
"That's to see how much curiosity you can accumulate without exploding,Nancy, dear."
Nancy shut her lips tightly. She was determined now, at any cost, not tospeak again until Elinor had really started on the story, but howirritating Elinor could be at times!
Mary was never disturbed over these little tiffs of the two friendswhich were merely the ups and downs of the endless conversation thatflowed between them.
"This is what happened then, Nancy darling," continued Elinor, slippingan arm around her friend's waist, while she locked her other arm throughMary's. And the three girls hurried on, too absorbed in their intimatetalk to notice the flash of a scarlet motor car through the high bushes,which bordered both sides of Boulder Lane, the name of the road whichintercepted the two meadows.
"I was coming across Court House Square late yesterday afternoon aftermy music lesson. You know I have begun to study with the new teacher,Mme. Alta. Just as I came to the statue of Thomas Jefferson, I heardsome one call very softly, or rather it was more like a hiss than acall. I suppose I should have rushed off frightened, but I am neverafraid of people. It's only spiders and snakes and bulls that make meshiver. So, I didn't run away, but waited, and I discovered that thehiss came from around the other side of the statue and was not meant forme at all. Even then I should have gone on if I hadn't heard some onecry out. I couldn't understand the language, but another voice said inEnglish: 'There are only two boxes left. Take them to the old house inBoulder Lane to-night and never keep me waiting this long again.' Thenthe other man said something and the English voice said: 'You can haulthem to-morrow morning. It'll be time enough when I get the signal to dothe rest.' I couldn't understand what the man answered, but the Englishvoice said: 'I'll kill the whole crew of Butlers and anybody else whointerferes with me. I'm in a desperate humor and I won't be bothered.'Fortunately they took the walk that goes to the docks, because theywould certainly have seen me if they had come around on the other side.But I saw them plainly when they passed under the electric light. Theylooked like seamen."
"'Kill the whole crew of Butlers,'" repeated Mary Price. "Does he meanthat he is going to wipe your family off the face of the earth? And forwhat?"
"That is what I want to find out. It wouldn't do any special harm totake a late afternoon stroll in this direction, if the boys are with us.I didn't want to say anything to father about it. He is so busy, and youknow how excitable he is. William is exactly like father. Edward andmother and I are the only calm, peaceful members of the family, andmother's sick and Edward is at college. Besides, you know, the man maynot have meant us. The county is full of Butlers, dozens of them. Someof them claim kin and some do not. They are the most quarrelsome,high-tempered people in existence--that is, all except Edward and me."
The other girls laughed.
"Not high-tempered, Elinor," said Nancy, "but you have a sort of royalmanner when you are displeased that I imagine a queen might have whenone of her subjects is disobedient."
"What's that?" interrupted Mary. "I thought I heard some one call."
The girls paused and listened. They were standing in a broad, flatmeadow which seemed to stretch out indefinitely in one direction like anenormous pale-green billiard table; but in the other direction, borderedby alder bushes, lay Boulder Lane; so called because of an immense grayboulder, which in some prehistoric upheaval had been tossed here, andwhich resembled now an old gray sentinel standing on perpetual guard.
"Why, there's the automobile," exclaimed Nancy, after some minutes,following an occasional flash of red through the bushes, as the flyingmotor car sped on up the lane.
"I wonder what she is doing up Boulder Lane? Exploring by herself, Isuppose. It must be lonely," observed Mary.
A fresh salt breeze had sprung up from the ocean, bringing with it thechill of the oncoming night. The three girls hastened their footsteps.If they were late, the boys might not wait for them.
"Boys are so unreliable," Mary had remarked.
"Not Ben Austen," said Elinor. "Father says he is as trustworthy as theBank of England. But he's slow. He never likes to stop one thing untilhe finishes it, no matter what's waiting. He and Charlie are building aboat somewhere down the beach and they spend all their afternoons at it,but they are sure to be there if they promised."
By this time the girls had reached the hedge. It was certainly alonesome place. The old house which had been unoccupied for many yearsbecause its last occupant had committed suicide by hanging himself froma beam, appeared in the gathering dusk like a solitary gray ghost; thefront windows resembled two large sad eyes gazing into space and thewalls, streaked with the tempests of many seasons, had the appearance ofa worn, tear-stained face.
"Dear me," whispered Nancy, "I had forgotten what a weird old place thiswas. It might be the entrance to a tomb."
"Halo-o-o!" called a boyish voice, and a tall, overgrown lad appearedcoming up the lane from the direction of the beach, followed by a muchsmaller youth, who was so absorbed with whittling a little boat that hedid not even look up when the girls answered the call.
"Don't make so much noise, Ben," said Elinor, when they had climbedthrough the hedge and congregated together in the lane. "This is just aninvestigating party. We are not to take any risks."
"There seems to be nobody around," replied Ben. "We saw an automobile gopast a little while ago with two men in it and some big boxes in theback. It was almost stuck in the sand. I wonder it could get along atall. It looked
like a big, red lobster."
"Red?" cried the girls in one voice.
"I never saw anything redder in my life," put in Charlie.
"You must be mistaken about the men, then," said Elinor decisively."Because Billie Campbell owns it and was running it herself a littlewhile ago."
"Well, we were not close enough to get a good look, but Billie Campbellappeared to be two men at that distance. But come along, girls. It isgetting late and we had better not lose any more time. Now, what is itwe are looking for? Butler bundles and boxes?"
"I don't think they can be called Butler bundles," replied Elinor,"since my family is to be wiped out of existence if it interferes withthe bundles, whatever they are."
The boys and girls who were thoroughly enjoying the fun and mystery ofthe expedition now advanced on tiptoe to the ghostly looking house, likea party of conspirators in a play.
"I feel like a pirate," whispered Nancy, giggling.
Suddenly Ben, who was ahead of the others, stopped and put his fingersto his lips. He beckoned to them to follow him around to the side of thehouse.
"I heard something inside the house," he said, in a low voice. "Waithere, girls, with Charlie while I take a look."
He crept cautiously around to the front and presently they heard himopen the door and walk boldly in.
"I'm going, too," said Charlie, unable to contain his curiosity anylonger, and the girls followed him single-file into a low-studded, dustyroom, unfurnished except for one rickety chair, but behind thatstood--Billie Campbell! And facing Billie in the dim light just insidethe door stood Ben, surprise written as plainly upon his face asbravery, defiance, and apprehension were mingled upon hers.
The girls were too amazed to speak at first.
"Billie Campbell!" cried Nancy, at last. "Did two men frighten you andrun away with your automobile?"
Billie nodded. Somehow it was very difficult to keep back her tears nowthat help had come; but she never had been a cry-baby even as a childand now she choked down her sobs with all her strength, for in thegathering dusk she had recognized the faces of her three childhoodfriends who had refused to remember her that day at school.
"Oh, but I'm glad to see you!" she exclaimed. "After the men went off Inoticed that the front door was open and I came in a minute to see if itreally looked as though it were lived in now-a-days as the man said. Butit just looks deserted, and it's dreadfully dusty except here in thecorner and from here to the door,--just as though something had beendragged across the floor."
The young girl had been talking excitedly, but now she stopped abruptlyand with a friendly look and a gesture of intense relief she stretchedher arms over her head, as though with the relaxation of her muscles shecould also free herself from the sudden shock and dread that had boundher.
She was tall for her age, fifteen, with a frank, almost boyish face,fine gray eyes, and a rather large mouth which curled up at the cornerswhen she smiled and showed two graduated rows of strong white teeth. Herlight brown hair was parted in the middle and rolled on each side into athick, knobby plait in the back.
"She's not very strong on looks," thought Nancy, who set great store onbeauty herself, "but she's got the nicest face I ever saw."
"How did it happen?" asked Ben.
Then Billie told how the two men had duped her and left her behind thedeserted house, and how she had found the message on the slip of paper.
"Then the men are coming back?" cried Elinor.
"Perhaps," replied Billie, "and we'd better hurry away from here as fastas we can in case they come. They may not intend to do me any harm, butthey are a very determined-looking pair of characters, as papa says, andone of them has a long pistol and a knife in his belt, for I saw them."
"But what about the red motor?" demanded Nancy, whose yearning to ridein the car had somewhat biased her good judgment.
"I'll just have to lose it, I suppose," answered Billie.
"I have a scheme," put in Charlie, who rarely spoke without duedeliberation. "Miss Campbell is just about as tall as I am--she may be alittle shorter," he added, stretching himself to his full height.
The others smiled secretly at this, for Billie was at least an inchtaller than Charlie, but they knew that the most sensitive spot in hisnature was his height, since he was the oldest member of the party andBen overtopped him by nearly three inches. And Charlie had a sneakingsuspicion that he never would be tall enough. His bones were small andhis frame as slender and delicate as a girl's.
"Suppose I put on your hat and veil and your long coat," he continued,"and sit here on the step waiting. It's getting darker all the time, andso if the men come back they'll think it is you; but if they thoughtsomebody was onto them, they would probably break their word and chaseoff with the motor."
"I don't think that would be quite fair," said Billie. "Suppose theyfound out you were a boy. They might shoot you or something."
"But they won't find it out," answered Charlie. "Hurry up. We have notime to lose."
"Yes, do," urged Ben. "It's much the best way. We couldn't leave you forthe thieves and it's a pity to lose the car. Besides, the rest of uswill hide in the house and if anything happens, we'll come to therescue."
Billie removed her ulster without another word.
"She's a dandy, sensible girl," thought Ben to himself.
"You'd better take the skirt, too. If they saw your trouser legs, itwould be all off," said Billie, as she unbuckled her belt and removedher gray walking skirt, standing before them without any embarrassmentin a short, red silk petticoat.
"What about shoes?" observed Mary Price. "Those Charlie is wearing arenot much like a girl's shoes."
"How about these pumps? I wear No. fives," said Billie, calmly kickingoff her slippers.
Charlie, good-naturedly, unlaced his stout boy's boots.
"I might be able to get my big toe into them," he said. "LikeCinderella's step-sisters and the little glass slipper."
"These aren't any Cinderella's," laughed Billie.
How nice these boys and girls did seem to her and how fine it was to bewith them, even in this strange and dangerous situation!
Charlie could wear the slippers, however, although they were somewhatnarrow in the toe, and presently he was fully dressed in a girl's suit,with his face almost concealed by a long gray chiffon veil, twistedaround Billie's gray felt hat, trimmed with one red wing.
"Hurry, they're really coming," called Billie, catching the familiarsound of a motor engine in the distance.
"All right," said Ben, who had been hovering around Charlie in pretendedadmiration of his changed appearance. "Good luck, old boy!" he added ashe hastened after the girls up the narrow flight of stairs into theattic, which was perfectly dark and seemed a better place for hidingthan outside, where enough twilight still lingered to make objectsplainly visible.
"We are a good deal like 'The Musicians of Bremen,'" observed Mary, in alow voice, as they lay stretched face downward on the attic floor."Don't you remember that old fairy tale of Grimm's; when the robber cameback to the house in the wood he was bitten and kicked and scratched andpecked by the dog and the donkey and the cat and the rooster, and thenthey set up such a braying and barking and crowing and meowing that heran away scared to death?"
"If anything did happen, we might try the howling part," said Billie. "Ishould think a piercing shriek from a place like this would scare abrave man----"
"Sh-h, they're almost here," cautioned Ben. "Don't move, any one. Thefloor will creak."
"I'm going to sneeze," hissed Nancy, in the dark.
"Press your upper lip and don't dare do it," whispered Elinor.
"Shut up, all of you," said Ben, as the motor car drew up beside thehedge at one side of the house.
"If there is any shrieking to be done," added Mary, "I'll do it. I'm thebest shrieker in the sophomore class. I know how to do it in the top ofmy head----"
"Sh-h-h!"