Then she turned off her light and continued to listen for Tavia’s footstep.

Meanwhile, Tavia was talking very seriously to Nat.  She had told him about Dorothy’s message from the strange woman, and he had suggested that the handwriting expert might in some way be connected with the Chicago firm to which Tavia had written, and through which she had made her financial—­mistake.

“But how would she know me?” asked Tavia, deeply perplexed.

“You said she saw your name on the envelope that dropped in the car,” Nat reminded her, “and she might have had an envelope with your name on.  Those—­sharks send names all over the country.”

“Then do you think I ought to go see her?” asked Tavia in a whisper.

“Certainly.  She can’t eat you,” replied the young man, “and she might be able to help you.”

“Then I’ll go—­next Thursday,” decided Tavia.  “But I’ll have trouble to slip away from Dorothy.”

“Course you will,” Nat assured her promptly; “and you’ll have trouble all along the line if you don’t do as I say, and make a clean breast of it.”

But Tavia, having so long delayed that telling, felt unequal to going through with it now.  She would simply “await developments,” as Dorothy herself had suggested doing in the other matter.

CHAPTER XI

GATHERING EVERGREENS

“I have it all planned,” announced Mrs. White the next morning.  “The boys are to go for evergreens, and the girls are to assist me here.  It is rather early, but it is best to have the greens on time.”

Ned and Nat groaned.  It would be dull enough to go for evergreens, but with the possibility of “a scare in the woods” for Dorothy and Tavia it might be bearable, whereas, if the girls would be obliged to remain at home—­

But Mrs. White’s sons did not object.  She had “planned the day,” and that settled it.

Joe and Roger were delighted.  They felt that girls often proved unequal to all “the bear hunts and wild beast chasing,” so dear to the hearts of healthy, young boys.

“We might build a campfire,” suggested Roger enthusiastically when Joe told him he was to go to the woods.

“Too cold for camping,” Joe reminded his small brother.  But the fact of it being very cold seemed to Roger all the more reason why a campfire should be built, and he said so.

“Well, I’ll ask Ned,” agreed Joe, “and if he says so we’ll take bacon and things to roast.”

Ned and Nat thought seriously over the prospect of hunting evergreens with two “kids.”  They liked their little cousins—­in fact, were very fond of them—­but it did seem to the larger boys that there would not be much fun in scouring the woods for greens, and answering small boys’ questions, unlimited.

“Let’s ask Roland Scott and Tom Jennings,” suggested Nat.  “They came home yesterday, and likely would enjoy a fly in the Fire Bird.”