“Sort of passing sentence of death, as it were,” said Jack.
“I suppose you might call it that,” smiled the foreman.
“It seems a pity that they should have to die,” said Cora, as her eyes took in the stately trees that decked the mountain side.
“Especially after what Mr. Morley was saying yesterday about the trees being alive,” remarked Bess.
“You girls are the limit,” laughed Paul. “First you let the snake go, and now you want to save the trees.”
“They’ll be afraid to pick a nosegay after a while for fear that the flowers will bleed,” mocked Jack.
“I wish my folks had believed in that plant theory when I was a kid,” drawled Walter. “Then I wouldn’t have had to weed the garden for fear of hurting the weeds.”
“There’s not a bit of poetry in you boys,” said Belle reproachfully.
“You’re mistaken there,” denied Paul. “We love beautiful things. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be chasing after you girls.”
There was only one other visitor to the camp, a sharp-eyed reticent man, who loitered about without betraying interest in anything especially. He made no attempt to join the party, but kept by himself.
“Who is our unsociable friend over there?” inquired Jack.
“I don’t know,” replied the foreman. “He’s been hanging around off and on for several days. He doesn’t talk much to the men, but he and I have chinned a little together. About all I know of him is that his name is Baxter. He doesn’t let on about his business.”
“Maybe he’s an author in search of local color,” hazarded Bess.
“More likely a detective,” remarked Jack. “You’d better look out, girls. He’s closing in upon you, knowing you are desperate criminals.”
After the foreman had left them, they climbed the slopes of the hill, and enjoyed the magnificent view from the summit. Then, as it was nearing noon, Jack suggested lunch.
“I’m keen to see what Aunt Betty has had put up for us,” he remarked, “and what I’ll do to it will be a sin and a shame.”
“Let’s go out into the woods to eat it,” suggested Cora.
“Isn’t this woods enough for you?” asked Paul, as he looked around.
“Not while we’re in sight of the mill,” returned Cora. “I want to go right out into the wild wilderness.”
“Mightn’t we get lost?” inquired Belle rather doubtfully.
“It’s easier to get into the wilderness sometimes than it is to get out of it,” added Bess.