"They've set the woods on fire," shouted Wally, and started off full speed. Horton followed.
"Keep your eye on the place, you fellows. About here, wasn't it?"
He stopped the car, and they jumped out. Henry carried a bunghole light and they penetrated the woods, single file, shouting as they went. No answer came, but they kept on. Before they had gone very far, a pony whinnied.
They heard motors on the road behind, and shouts in answer to their shouts. Other fathers rushed in presently and joined them. Henry stopped and halted the entire line.
He swept the cleared place with his light, and they all crowded up behind him. A bed of ashes smouldered, and around it, in deep oblivion of well-earned sleep, lay thirteen blanketed braves, a trusty weapon--tomahawk or sword--at hand beside each sleeper.
The fathers descended upon them, and with difficulty aroused them to the capture. They were led, carried, or dragged to motors, and carted home. Isabelle borne between Henry and Matthews scarcely woke at all. In fact, when she woke in the morning to Miss Watts's grieved expression, all memory of the transfer was gone.
"Oh, Isabelle," said she, "how could you?"
"I don't know, but your parents are very angry."
"What is to become of you, Isabelle?" inquired Miss Watts, with tragic fervour.
Isabelle ate a huge breakfast, and waited cheerfully for her summons to judgment. It came at eleven. She went to her mother's room, where that lady sat in her bed. Her husband sat by, arms folded, expression stern.
"Sit down!" her mother ordered, fiercely.
"How did you get out of this house last night?"
"At their regular Saturday night party. They call it Club Night."
"When did these boys induce you to go on this disgraceful expedition?"
"They didn't induce me," replied Isabelle. "It was my idea."
"Isabelle Bryce!" her mother burst out. "You asked twelve boys to spend the night with you?"
"No, I thought it would be fun to play John Smith, Pocahontas and Indians at night, with a fire. So we planned it. Then we thought you might get back from the club before we did, and kick up a row, so I said why not sleep in the tents, and sneak in at daylight, so you'd never know."
"Did you ever hear anything so awful?" Max demanded of Wally.