Barbara, farther up the hill, could see the reflection of a sheet of water. Into it the poor little hunted c.o.o.n jumped, swimming for dear life to the opposite sh.o.r.e. The dogs hesitated a minute, then went into the water after it. But Reginald Latham was now going so rapidly he could not stop himself.

With a rush he was in the water, just as Bab's warning cry rang out.

"Help me! I am drowning!" he shouted. For the minute he and Barbara were alone. The rest of the party had followed the two dogs, whose baying sounded some distance across through the woods.

Barbara was down the bank, and out in the stream in a second. To her disgust she found the water only up to her waist. They were at the edge of a small pond, but Reginald Latham clutched at Barbara, panic-stricken.

"Why, Mr. Latham," cried Bab in disgust, "you are not drowning. This water is not three feet deep. We have only to walk out."

At this instant, Ralph Ewing and Mollie came rushing down the hill.

"What on earth's the matter, Bab?" asked Mollie.

"Oh, nothing," said Bab loyally, "except that Mr. c.o.o.n has led us into a nice mud bath. I expect Mr. Latham and I had better return home. I don't believe I am a first-cla.s.s hunter. My sympathies are too much on the side of the c.o.o.n."

"Can I help either of you?" asked Ralph Ewing courteously. But when Bab said "no," he and Mollie were off through the woods again.

"It was good of you, Miss Thurston," Reginald Latham apologized, as he and Bab made their way up the hill again, "to take part of the responsibility for our plunge into the pond on yourself. I am an awful coward about the water. I would take my share of the blame, except that my uncle would be so angry."

"But you are not afraid of your uncle, are you?" Bab inquired impetuously. "You seem grown up to me, and I don't see why you should be afraid. Mr. Latham is awfully nice anyhow."

"Oh, you don't understand, Miss Thurston," declared Reginald Latham peevishly. "Everything in the world depends on my keeping on the good side of my uncle. My mother has talked of nothing else to me since I was a child. You see, uncle has all the money in the family now. He doesn't have to leave me a red cent unless he chooses."

"Well, I would rather be independent than rich," protested Bab. "Oh, I beg your pardon," she said blushing. "I am sure I don't know you well enough to say a thing like that to you. But do let's hurry back to camp."

On their way back they met Gwendolin Morton and the young German secretary, Franz h.e.l.ler. Gwendolin had sprained her ankle in getting over a log, and had given up her part in the hunt.

By midnight nearly all the c.o.o.n hunters had returned to the log cabin for repairs before making their way down the hill again. Reginald Latham sat before the fire drying his wet clothes.

"What is the matter with you, Reginald?" asked his uncle, sharply. "We've bagged three c.o.o.ns, Miss Stuart, but I am afraid we have had more disasters than good luck. Now, we must be off home again. Look here, young ladies," said Mr. Latham, turning to Ruth and Mollie, who were saying good-bye to their guests, "is there a wood nymph, who lives anywhere about in these woods? Several times to-night I thought I spied a little figure flying between the trees."

"Nonsense, Mr. Latham," laughed Ruth. "Our woods are not haunted."

But Mollie answered never a word.

"Miss Thurston," called Reginald Latham, as Barbara, who had gone out to change her wet clothes came into the room to say good night to her guests, "may I come up and see you and your friends in the morning?"

Barbara hesitated. She did not object to Reginald Latham as the other girls did; she even thought Ruth, Grace and Mollie were prejudiced against him, but she had an idea that something disagreeable might grow out of a further intimacy.

"I am sorry, Mr. Latham," she exclaimed politely, "but we have planned to do some target practice in the morning? We are going to stay but a short time up here in the woods, and Mr. Stuart, Ruth's father, is anxious that we should learn to shoot."

"But I am a fairly good shot myself," protested Reginald Latham. "Why can't I come up and help with the teaching? May I, Miss Stuart?" he asked, turning to Ruth, who much against her will, was obliged to consent.

"Never again shall I allow you to engage in such an unladylike and cruel sport as a c.o.o.n hunt!" announced Miss Sallie, when the last guest had gone. The girls agreed with her, as the baying of the hounds and the noise from the hunters' horns at last died away in the distance.

CHAPTER XII

THE WOUNDED BIRD

"Good-bye Ralph!" said Barbara, extending her hand to her old friend.

"Good-bye, Barbara," Ralph answered, politely. "It has been a great pleasure for Hugh and me to see you and the other girls in your forest retreat. I am sorry we must be off so soon."

"But you will come back again, in a week or two won't you?" begged Ruth.

"I heard you promise those lovely English girls, Hugh, to take part in the autumn sports at Lenox."

"Oh, we shall be back if possible, Ruth." Hugh a.s.sured her. "I think we can promise to give Lenox a taste of our charming society, say near the first week in October."

"Let's be off, Hugh," called Ralph. "Here is that Latham fellow coming up the hill."

Bab laid her hand on Ralph's sleeve. "You are not angry with me for going off with Reginald Latham last night are you? Truth of the matter, Ralph, I don't believe I like Mr. Latham any better than the others do. But I am rather sorry for him; he seems queer and nervous. Why, the other day, even at his own house, all the young people except me ran away from him.

I don't think he is very happy. That's why he is always fooling with inventions and things. He's a weak kind of fellow, Ralph, but I don't think he is horrid."

Ralph laughed and his face cleared. "Good for you, Bab. Always looking after the oppressed. But I don't think you need feel sorry for a fellow who has such a lot of money coming his way as Reg Latham."

"He hasn't it yet!" was Bab's wise comment.

As Ralph and Hugh disappeared, Reginald Latham joined the four girls. He wore his shooting clothes, and his dark face was transformed with pleasure. He knew he was not popular with young people and the idea made him unhappy. He had been brought up in a foreign country and was shy and ill at ease. His mother had always kept him in her society. Now, he was delighted with the independence and courage of "The Automobile Girls" and longed to be friends with them.

"I hope I am in time for the shooting," he declared. "My uncle sent me up to apologize for the chapter of accidents that occurred last night in our c.o.o.n hunt. Gwendolin Morton is laid up with a bad ankle, Franz h.e.l.ler has influenza, and everyone else is tired out with the long tramp. But you look entirely rested." He turned to Barbara and spoke under his breath.

"Forgive me for last night's performance."

"Come, Naki," called Ruth to their guide, "we are ready for our target practice. Mr. Latham is here."

Ruth led the way over the hill. At a little distance from the house Naki set up a pasteboard target, which he nailed to the side of a big cedar tree, at the edge of a slight embankment. Below it was nothing but underbrush. No one was near. It seemed a perfectly safe place for the rifle practice.

Mollie sat on the ground back of the eager sportsmen. Nothing could induce her to handle a gun. "I suppose I am safe, back here," she laughed, "so, I shall sit here and watch this famous shooting match.

Only, for goodness' sake, all of you be careful!"

Bab, Ruth and Grace were each to have ten shots at the target, Naki showing them how to load and fire. Reginald Latham would keep the score.

The girl who hit the bull's eye the greatest number of times was to be proclaimed champion.

Bab fired first. She hit the second ring from the center of the bull's eye.

"Good for you!" Ruth cried, taking aim. But she missed the target altogether. The shot from her rifle went down the hill.

Mollie thought she saw something stir. "Isn't this a dangerous business?"

she asked Reginald Latham.

"There is nothing in these woods to harm, Miss Mollie," he explained.

"Most of the birds have already flown away."

For an hour the girls fired at the target. Grace had grown tired and had taken her seat by Mollie, but Ruth and Barbara were both enthusiastic shots. Ruth's score stood two ahead of Bab's, who still had three more shots to fire.