"Why not he make sign?" was the startling question of Linna, pointing
at Ben, before the party had gone far after their brief rest.
"What do you mean?" asked the puzzled Mrs. Ripley; "he isn't to
make any sign to us till he sees or hears something wrong."
"People off dere!" replied Linna, pointing ahead and to the right
of their course. "Me hear dem speak."
It was true. The keen ears of the child had discovered a peril that
no one else suspected. She alone had caught the sound of voices
that escaped all other ears.
CHAPTER SEVEN: JABEZ ZITNER
At this moment Ben Ripley was about a hundred feet in advance of
the party and ascending a ridge in the woods, which were so open
that he was in plain sight of the others.
Mrs. Ripley, on hearing the alarming words of the little Delaware
girl, came to a stop. It seemed strange that Linna should have
caught the sounds noticed by no one else, and that, too, while she
was whispering to her companion, Alice; but even at that tender age
the inherited sharpness of hearing had been trained to a wonderfully
fine degree.
Mrs. Ripley was too prudent to argue with her. It was not wise to
take any chances. Above all, it was important that Ben should know
the truth, for he was still walking away from them with no knowledge
of their discovery.
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