heard no one after all. They strained their ears but heard no further
sound. Then the last bit of twilight vanished and night came down in
reality.




CHAPTER VIII

AN ANXIOUS NIGHT

Huddled together in the darkness, Phil and Madge endeavored to relieve
the strain of the situation by talking, but the very sound of their
voices dismayed them and they became silent. Finally Eleanor, who had
been leaning against Madge's shoulder, laid her head in her cousin's
lap and went to sleep. A little later Lillian, after receiving Madge's
assurance that she and Phil intended to keep watch, went to sleep also.

"Madge," Phil's voice trembled a little, "what do you suppose poor Miss
Jones will think? She won't have the least idea in which direction to
look for us. Goodness knows how long we may have to stay here. We may
never get out." Her voice sank to a whisper.

"Why, Phil," Madge feigned a hopefulness which she did not feel, "I am
surprised at you. You haven't given up hope. It is just the darkness
and being hungry that makes things appear so dreadful. I have been
thinking about our plight, and when daylight comes I am going to try to
climb up the wall to the window. The mud has broken away between some
of the logs, so that I can get my foot in the opening. We shall have
to dig it away in other places too."