But Mollie had caught Grace about the waist and they were engaged in what might be called a cross between a Virginia reel and an Indian war dance.
When they were forced to stop from sheer lack of breath, the volcanic Mollie flung herself upon the steps, and beamed upon them.
"And that's not all," Will said, and glanced instinctively toward his sister.
Grace started, and leaned forward beseechingly.
"Yes," he continued, answering her unspoken question, "we found Beauty."
The girl's eyes opened wide at this new disclosure, and Grace grasped her brother's arm imploringly.
"He was found by one of the farmers near the town. Looked as though he'd broken away from whoever'd had him. The farmer saw he was a thoroughbred, and guessed at once that he had been stolen. Luckily for us he was an honest man."
"Darling old Beauty," murmured Grace, tearfully. "Oh, wait till dad hears!"
"I guess he'll get a welcome, all right," Will agreed gleefully. "Poor old Beauty! I saw him myself this morning."
"Mr. Mendall says," Allen volunteered, "there are traces of a good many other things from Deepdale. We'll probably have a triumphant home coming. And they have captured the gypsies and put them in jail."
"Oh, oh, and to think we did it!" sighed Amy, contentedly.
So joyful were they at the outcome of their detective work, that the long journey to Deepdale was almost forgotten. It was Mrs. Irving who brought them to their senses.
"I'm afraid," she said, "that if we don't start pretty soon, Deepdale won't see us until to-morrow morning, and that will never do. Come, girls, get ready."
"Oh, I don't want to go home," wailed Amy, as they rose to follow instructions.
"But just think what we will have to tell them when we get there!" said Betty, and the thought lent wings to their feet.
Once more the Outdoor Girls and their comrades assembled on the wharf, waiting for the ridiculous little ferryboat that had been the butt of their jokes during the summer. Now that they were going away, however, the sound of the shrill little whistle, as it panted up to them, seemed somehow strangely typical of their life on the island, and they felt an unexpected throb of home-sickness.
"We'll have to come back to it some time," Betty said. "I love the place."