Miss Elting had been left to look after Margery and Hazel.  Mrs. Livingston remained in the tent with Harriet and Tommy, until they had prepared for bed and finally tumbled into their cots.  Then the Chief Guardian bade each of them good night.

“Pleasant dreams, my dears,” she said, and left the tent taking the lantern with her, leaving the interior of the place in darkness.  For a few moments the two girls lay quiet, then Harriet heard Tommy calling to her in a loud whisper.

“What is it!” asked Harriet.

“I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Everything.  It ith tho thpooky in here.  Thay, can’t we lock the door?”

“There is no door to lock.  Don’t whisper so loudly.  You will awaken the other girls,” warned Harriet.

“May I come over in your bed?”

“Indeed you may not.  Tommy, do go to sleep.  I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

Silence reigned in the tent for several minutes, then Tommy began another plaintive whisper.

“Thay, Harriet.”

“Oh, Tommy, please,” begged Harriet.  “What is the trouble?”

“I’m afraid.”

“There is nothing to fear.  What are you afraid of?”

“Bearth.”

“There are no bears in this part of the country.  I’m ashamed to see you such a coward.”

“You can’t thee me at all.  It ith too dark,” retorted Grace.  “What ith that?  Thomebody whithpered.”

Harriet Burrell did not answer, for she was sound asleep by this time.  Tommy lay there staring into the darkness until her eyelids grew heavy.  They drooped and drooped, finally closing over her eyes altogether.  But she had no more than dropped into a doze when she came to a sitting posture wide awake.  Something had disturbed her.  Something was moving in the tent and she could almost feel it.

Tommy’s eyes grew wide with terror.

“Harriet!” she whispered.  “Harriet!” This time the whisper was a little louder, but there was no answer to the appeal.  Then a most terrifying thing occurred.  A low, deep growl sounded right at the head of Tommy’s cot.  With a wild cry the terrified little girl landed in the middle of the floor.

CHAPTER VII

TOMMY HAS A NIGHTMARE

Harriet rousing herself from a sound sleep, did not know where she was for the moment.  Tommy’s cries of alarm however, soon brought Harriet to a realization of her surroundings.  The girl bounded from her bed.

“Tommy, oh, Tommy!  What is it?”

Tommy fairly flew to what she supposed was the cot of her companion and threw herself full force upon it.  She fell upon a soft body.

“Get off!  Get into your own bed.  What do you mean by jumping on me?” demanded an angry voice that Grace even in her great fright, knew at once did not belong to her companion.  “Get out of here!” The words were accompanied by a violent push.  Tommy Thompson was thrown from the cot to the floor, on which she landed heavily.