Once more they trudged on in the rain and darkness. But to the eternal credit of the Camp Fire Girls be it said that no one murmured. They all recognized it as something that could not be helped or bettered by complaining, and they were Spartan-like in their sufferings, of which nerves played no small part. “Let me carry the light for a while,” suggested Marie to the Guardian. “All right, if you’d like to. Come up front,” invited Mrs. Bonnell, who realized the need of letting the girls do things for themselves. “Oh—Oh! Oh, dear!” gasped Marie as she darted forward. “What is it now?” some one asked. “I stepped in a puddle—over my shoe! Oh, isn’t it wet!” “Water generally is,” said Natalie dryly. But Marie took the lead, and increased the pace, which Mrs. Bonnell had been thinking of doing, but from which she had refrained from suggesting as she thought the girls were tired. But they responded well to the quick-step that Marie led them. “Hark! What’s that?” suddenly exclaimed Mabel, who was directly behind Marie. “What’s what?” “That noise. Didn’t you hear some one calling?” They halted—hearts beating so hard that it seemed as if they might be heard by others than the owners. From the blackness around them came a shout. “Haloooooo!” “An owl!” murmured Natalie. “Maybe a bat,” ventured Alice. “Oh, you horrid thing! Don’t mention bats!” begged Mabel. Again came the long-drawn out cry: “Hallo-o-o-o-o!” The girls drew closer together, Mrs. Bonnell extending the lamp as some sort of weapon. “That German,” murmured Alice. “We’re miles away from his place,” whispered Marie. From the woods in front of them came a crashing as of some heavy body breaking through the underbrush. “Oh, dear!” sighed Natalie. “Maybe,” began Alice, “maybe it’s——” She was interrupted by another hail. Then came the challenge: “Stony Point! Camp Fire Girls! Crystal Springs!” “Wo-he-lo! Wo-he-lo!” shouted Natalie with all the strength of her splendid lungs. “Wo-he-lo!” came in answer. “It’s the boys!” screamed Alice. “Oh, it’s the boys! Now we are all right!” CHAPTER XVI THE BOTTLE OF OLIVES “Did you come to look for us?” “How did you know where we were?” “Oh, but we’re _so_ glad to see you!” “How far is it to camp? We’re almost dead!” “Girls! Girls! Do restrain yourselves a little! We are not half so badly off as that!” It was Mrs. Bonnell who uttered the last, and Natalie, Marie, Alice and Mabel who, in turn, gave voice to the other expressions, following the gladsome cry of Alice that she had heard the boys. And she really had. “Camp Fire Girls ahoy!” yelled Jack, as he and his chums came a little nearer. “However did you find us?” demanded Natalie, as the three came running along the path through the halo of misty light caused by the refraction of the Guardian’s electric torch on the raindrops.