Part 32 (1/2)

”It isn't any such great, or late, hour of night,” replied Cora, calmly, ”and the woods are not dark. There's a lovely moon. But I don't propose to go through the woods. What is the _Chelton_ for if we can't use her?”

”Cora Kimball, do you mean to say that you'd go out on the bay, and over to Denny's cabin, after dark, with the prospect that some desperate men are going to attack him?” asked Bess.

”The boys are going to be there,” answered Cora, still refusing to become excited. ”Besides, they may need our help. We could take a prisoner or two in our boat.”

There was a chorus of screams.

”Cora Kimball--how dare you?” demanded Belle.

”Oh, I meant if he was tied hand and foot,” went on the leader of the motor girls. ”Villains are always tied hand and foot, you know. They can't move. They're gagged, too. I think I should insist on having our villain gagged. It might happen to be that young man who raced with us to-day, and he might get sarcastic if he could talk. Yes, I think he must be gagged.”

”Oh, Cora, you're hopeless,” sighed Lottie. ”What would my mother say if she could see me now.”

”She'd tell you to stop eating chocolates and come with me,” returned Cora, firmly. ”I'm going to the cabin.”

”I--I'll go with you,” volunteered Marita, and then she blushed at the attention she attracted.

”Well, if Marita isn't afraid to go, I'm not,” announced Lottie, with spirit. ”Come on, Cora.”

”Oh!” gasped Bess.

”Oh, dear!” echoed Belle. ”Do we have to stay here all alone?”

”Either that, or come with us,” invited Cora. ”I'm going over to the cabin in our boat.”

There was a step at the door of the living room, and Mrs. Lewis looked in.

”Did I hear you girls say you were going out?” she inquired.

”Just for a little trip on the water,” replied Cora, signing to her chums to keep silent. ”It is so lovely with the moon, and we won't go far.”

It was not a great way to Denny's cabin.

”Well, don't be gone too long,” cautioned the widow. ”You must remember that I am, in a way, responsible for you girls.”

”Oh, we'll be careful,” Cora promised. ”We'd take Freda with us, but perhaps she had better stay with you.”

”Yes, I think so. Besides, she is so nervous after what nearly happened last night, that I'd rather she wouldn't go out. Oh, if only things were settled! If only we were sure we could get that property back, and not have to worry about it being taken away from us!”

”Have they been annoying you of late?” asked Cora, thinking perhaps there had been some developments of which she was unaware.

”No, nothing special, since that horrid woman. But it is a constant worry to me.”

”It must be,” returned Cora, sympathetically. ”Well, we will hope for the best.”

Cora did not say so--even to her chums, but she had great hopes that something might develop from the events of this night. If the unscrupulous men could only be caught in some wrong-doing a hold might be obtained over them that would enable them to be defeated in court.

Thus their claim to the property--which claim Cora felt sure was a false one--might be disproved.