They wriggled back through the trees, bumping trunks here and there
because, though it was almost as bright as day in the open country, it
was black night among the trees. But the blackness had its advantages.
The little opening they had crossed earlier in the day, where Alec would
have room to swing his bull-roarer, was moon-sprayed and easy to find.
Cindy whispered to Alec, "Stay right here until I raise my hand. Then
give us as much noise as you can."
"Sure thing," Alec whispered back.
Cindy crawled through the final fringe of trees, looked down on the
cave, and saw three men in it now. They were cooking around a small
fire. Back of them, standing all by herself, was Mindy.
"Better eat something, girl," called the man who had been with Tom
LaMott.
"Eat it yourself, you big baboon!" Mindy said fiercely.
Cindy gasped. The gentle Mindy, in a situation as terrifying as this,
should be wilted and nearly hysterical. But instead she sounded fighting
mad.
"Mind your tongue, girl!" the man said threateningly.
"When my father gets through with you," Mindy flared, "_you_ won't have
any tongue to mind!"
The man rose angrily, strode over to Mindy, and raised his hand to slap
her face. But before he could, Mindy kicked him smartly in the shin. The
man said, "Ow-w!" bent over to rub his shin, and Mindy kicked him in the
other one. The man straightened to advance grimly.
"Leave her 'lone!"
"I'll teach the little spitfire," the man started angrily.
"Leave her 'lone!" Tom LaMott repeated.