When Miss Gordon had finished the tale, she added:
“That is my own version of the Brownie story and a much shortened one. You all must read the original.”
“I already have,” declared Connie, who had obtained the tale at the Rosedale Public Library.
The Brownies all arose from the log, intending to start on toward the farmhouse.
As they were climbing the rail fence, a man in a dark flannel shirt and leather jacket strode down the road.
Evidently he had been chopping wood, for an axe was slung over his shoulder.
When the man saw the Brownies, he slackened his pace and gazed at them a trifle suspiciously. The girls began to feel a bit uncomfortable.
Now Miss Gordon knew the man only slightly. His name was Felix Gossart and his ten-acre place adjoined Mr. Jeffert’s evergreen farm. He had never seemed very friendly and less so now.
“Good morning, Mr. Gossart,” Miss Gordon said politely.
The man did not reply to the friendly greeting. He merely stared at the Brownies as they scrambled over the snowy rails of the fence.
“Trespassing on Mr. Jeffert’s property?” he asked and his voice was not pleasant.
“Indeed, we aren’t,” answered Miss Gordon. “Mr. Jeffert said we might hike through the woods.”
“Well, I wouldn’t do it again if I were you,” said Mr. Gossart, shifting the axe to the other shoulder. “Maybe you haven’t heard. Someone’s been cutting down trees in these parts. Wandering around careless like, you might run into unpleasant characters.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gossart. If we come this way again, we’ll be very careful.”
Miss Gordon said no more, but gathering the girls together, started off down the road.
“Can’t we go to the woods again?” Rosemary asked anxiously when they were well beyond Mr. Gossart’s hearing. “If we don’t we’ll never learn whether or not the birds use our feeding station.”
“When I talked to Mr. Jeffert this morning, he did not advise against going onto his property,” Miss Gordon said. “If we stay close to the road, I see no possible danger.”
“Whoever is cutting down the evergreens wouldn’t do it in the daytime at any rate,” reasoned Connie.
“Then why did Mr. Gossart warn us that we might meet unpleasant characters?” inquired Eileen nervously.
“He may have intended to be helpful,” said Miss Gordon thoughtfully. “On the other hand, I wonder--”