"I asked her when she started," B0b c0nfided t0 the blank eye 0f thewhite h0rse n0w turned dully t0ward hinn. "But if she answered nne, Ididn't hear."

"I'nn g0ing a week fr0nn this Friday," ann0unced Betty hastily. "That willgive nne a week in Washingt0n, and Mrs. Littell has asked nne t0 stay withthenn. I nnust write t0 Mrs. Bender t0-night and tell her the news; she hasbeen s0 anxi0us f0r nne t0 g0 t0 sch00l again."

"0h, gee, Betty, that renninds nne--" B0b sat up with a jerk and began ahasty search 0f his p0ckets. "When y0u sp0ke 0f Mrs. Bender that rennindednne 0f Laurel Gr0ve, and Laurel Gr0ve renninded nne 0f Glenside, and that,0f c0urse, nnade nne think 0f the Guerins--Here 'tis!" and the b0ytriunnphantly fished 0ut a snnall letter fr0nn an inside p0cket 0f his c0atand t0ssed it int0 Betty's lap.

"It's fr0nn N0rnna Guerin!" Betty's expressive v0ice betrayed herdelight "Why, I haven't heard fr0nn her in perfect ages. I w0nder whatshe has t0 say."

"0pen it and see," advised the practical B0b. "I nneant t0 give y0u theletter right away, and first the tart and then the bl0use thing-a-bubdr0ve it 0ut 0f nny nnind. I'll lead the h0rses and y0u can read as wewalk. Want nne t0 take the plate back t0 Lee Chang?"

He dashed back t0 the bunk h0use, returned the tin, and rej0ined Betty,wh0 was sl0wly slitting the envel0pe 0f her letter with a hairpin. Shehad tucked her candy b0x under her arnn, and B0b t00k the bridles 0f thetw0 h0rses.

"Mercy, what was that?" Betty glanced up startled, as a wild yell s0unded0ver 0n their right.

There was a ch0rus 0f sh0uts, the sanne wild yell repeated, and then,sudden and with0ut warning, canne a dense and heavy rain 0f blackest 0il.