"Jannetje Jan," came the call, with the Dutch Y sound for J.
"Yes, Yan," she answered, running to open the door, for she had slipped the bolt as well, when she started in on the desk.
"Get ready to ride, won't you? Nell and Chick are out here," said Jan, adding, when the door was opened, "and worse luck, I've got to go back with Chick and finish up school! We only have a day or two more of fun!"
"I'll be out in a minute, Jan. I'm aching for a ride. Will you get my horse ready while I dress?"
"Yep,--intended to. Make it snappy." With this, Jan went away, while Jannet, elated with her discovery, the mystery of it all, and the prospect of fun with her young friends, hurried into her riding clothes.
It did not take Jannet long to get ready for the expedition. Just before starting out of her room, she paused, her hand on the knob, for this room had more protection than the old-fashioned latches. Should she leave the pearls in the desk? They had disappeared from it before.
But where could she put them if she took them from the desk? Naturally she could not wear them. Windows and doors were open. She could hear the sounds of laughter from where her young friends were. She must hurry. She ran back to her windows, put them down and locked them firmly. Then she took her key from the lock, locked the door from the outside and pinned the key inside her sweater pocket.
"I'm the 'foxy Jannet' now," she said to herself, thinking of one of Jan's expressions. "_Now_ if any one gets in,--I'll know it's some one with a key!"
Walking rapidly, past the door of Paulina's room, down the back stairs, out of the back door, Jannet hastened to join her friends. Jan, mounted on a curveting black horse, was leading the animal intended for Jannet and cantered toward her, stopping at a high block. He started to dismount to help Jannet, but she waved him back. "Don't get off, Jan. Pity if I can not get on myself. Is this the stump of the old black walnut that nearly killed you when it fell?"
"Who told you? Yes; if Chick hadn't yelled in time, I'd have been under the trunk instead of being scratched up a little by some of the branches. You remember that wind storm, Nell?"
"Indeed I do. We didn't know where you boys were and Mother was almost crazy till you came in after it was all over. I was sure that you were over here, but the telephone wires were down."