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Lister's Great Adventure by Harold Bindloss
page 32 of 300 (10%)
smudge fire that kept off the mosquitoes and sang to an accompaniment of
banjos and mandolins. Barbara sang with the others, but it cost her an
effort. The tranquil day was nearly done and she felt it was the last
tranquillity she might know for long. Her companions were frank and
kind, Canadians, but her sort, and she was going to make a bold plunge
with another who was not. Yet she knew one could not rebel for nothing,
and she had pluck. The light faded behind the trees, a loon's wild cry
rang across the dark water, and the party went to bed.

In the morning Grace awoke Mrs. Cartwright quietly.

"Barbara is gone," she said.

"Ridiculous!" said Mrs. Cartwright.

"She is gone. Her clothes are not about; but we must be calm and not
disturb the camp. Mrs. Vernon ought to know, but nobody else. You see,
it's important--"

Mrs. Cartwright saw, and a few minutes afterwards her hostess knew.

"It's plain I must give Harry my confidence, to some extent," Mrs.
Vernon said, and went to look for her son.

She found him going off for a swim, and when she told her tale he
frowned.

"In a way, perhaps, I'm accountable, but we'll talk about this again,"
he said. "Get Mrs. Cartwright on board the launch and come along
yourself. As soon as Bob's inside his clothes we'll start."
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