"Yes, it was, Bessie. Don't you remember the way I changed the signs! If
I hadn't done that we wouldn't have gone to Loon Pond, and if we hadn't
gone there--"

"We wouldn't have seen the gypsies? Yes I know, Dolly. But Miss Eleanor
is fair, you know that. And she may scold you for playing trick with
the signs, but that's all. She won't blame you for having misunderstood
that gypsy."

Then they came to the crossing of the trails, and Dolly replaced the
signs as they had been before she had played her thoughtless prank.

"We must hurry along, Dolly," said Bessie. "It's getting dark, and we
don't want to be out here when it's too dark. I think it's safe enough,
but--"

"Oh, suppose that horrid gypsy followed us through the woods, Bessie?
That's what you mean, isn't it! Let's get back to the camp just as fast
as ever we can."

"Bessie, I'm an awful coward, I'm afraid," Dolly said, as the camp was
approached. "Will you tell Miss Eleanor what happened; everything! I'm
afraid that if I told her myself I wouldn't put in what I did with the
signs."

"You wouldn't tell her a story, Dolly?"

"No, but I might just not tell her that. You see, I wouldn't have really
to tell her a story, and, oh, Bessie, I want her to know all about it.
Then if she scolds me, all right. Can't you understand?"