The big sleigh in which were Helen and the other girls swept into
the clearing in advance and Ruth's chum led the chorus addressed
vociferously to the girl from Red Mill.

"Oh, Ruthie!"

"The lost is found!"

"And she got here first--wasn't that cute of her?"

"Oh, _do_ tell us all about it, Ruth," cried Lluella Fairfax.

"However could you scare us so, Ruthie?" cried Jennie Stone, the
heavyweight. "I was so worried I was actually sick."

"And that is positively 'no error,'" laughed Belle Tingley. "For
once Heavy was so troubled that she couldn't eat."

Helen was out of the sleigh at once and hugged Ruth hard. "You
blessed girl!" she cried. "I was _so_ afraid something dreadful
had happened to you."

"And what became of that horrid boy Mr. Cameron tried to take to
Scarboro?" demanded Madge Steele.

The boys piled out of their sledge before Ruth could answer these
questions, and she was unable to give a very vivid explanation of all
that had happened to her since leaving the train, until the whole