[Illustration: The girls came out upon the point where the lighthousestood. (See Page 175)]

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 BILLIE BRADLEY ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND

 OR

 THE MYSTERY OF THE WRECK

 BY

 JANET D. WHEELER

 AUTHOR OF "BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER INHERITANCE, " "BILLY BRADLEY AT THREE TOWERS HALL, " ETC. 

 ILLUSTRATED

 NEW YORK CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY PUBLISHERS

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 BILLIE BRADLEY SERIES BY JANET D. WHEELER

 12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 

 Billie Bradley and Her Inheritance Or The Queer Homestead at Cherry Corners

 Billie Bradley at Three Towers Hall Or Leading a Needed Rebellion

 Billie Bradley on Lighthouse Island Or The Mystery of the Wreck

 CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY Publishers -- New York

 Copyright, 1920, CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY

 Billie Bradley on Lighthouse Island PRINTED IN U. S. A. 

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 CONTENTS

 CHAPTER PAGE I Lost 1 II The Hut in the Woods 9 III Ferns and Mystery 17 IV At the School Again 25 V Much Ado About Nothing 33 VI Found--One Album 41 VII Strange Actions 49 VIII An Invitation 57 IX Amanda Again 63 X Two of a Kind 71 XI At Home 79 XII Preparing for the Trip 86 XIII Pleasure Draws Near 95 XIV The Light on Lighthouse Island 102 XV Connie's Mother 110 XVI Clam Chowder and Salt Air 118 XVII Fun and Nonsense 125 XVIII Uncle Tom 133 XIX Paul's Motor Boat 141 XX Out of the Fog 150 XXI The Boys are Interested 158 XXII The Fury of the Storm 166 XXIII Fighting for Life 174 XXIV Three Small Survivors 182 XXV The Mystery Solved 191

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 BILLIE BRADLEY ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND

 CHAPTER I

 LOST

Splash! went a big drop just on the exact tip of Laura Jordon's pretty, rather upturned nose. She put her hand to the drop to be sure she had notbeen mistaken, then turned in dismay to her companions. 

"Girls, " she cried, "it's raining!"

If she had said the world was coming to an end her companions could nothave looked more startled. Then Billie Bradley cocked an eye at what shecould see of the sky through the trees and held out one handexperimentally. 

"You're crazy, " she announced, turning an accusing eye upon Laura. "It'sno more raining than you are. And, anyway, haven't we troubles enoughwithout your going and making up a new one?"

"M-making up!" Laura stuttered in her indignation. "If you don't believeme, just look at my nose. "

"I don't see what your nose has to do with it, " Billie began scornfully, but the third of the trio, Violet Farrington, by name, interrupted. 

"Laura's right, " she cried. "I just felt a great big drop myself. Now, what ever are we going to do?" Vi dropped down in a pathetic little heapon a convenient rock, looking up at her chums wistfully. 

Violet Farrington was always a little wistful when in trouble, like asmall girl who can never understand why she is being punished. But justnow this wistfulness irritated Billie Bradley, who was very much given toquick action herself, and she turned upon Vi rather snappily. 

"Well, you needn't just sit there like a ninny, " she cried. "Get up andhelp us think what we can do to get out of this mess. "

"Mess is right, " said Laura Jordon gloomily. 

And it must be admitted that the girls were in rather a trying situation. Their botany teacher at Three Towers Hall, where they were students, hadsent them into the woods to gather some rare ferns which they were to usein the botany class the next day. 

That was all very well; for if there was anything the girls loved it wasa trip into the woods. They had started off in hilarious spirits; andthen--the impossible thing had happened. 

They had gathered the ferns, turned to go back to Three Towers, andfound, to their absolute dismay, that they did not know which way to go. There was no getting over the fact. They were absolutely and completelylost!

For almost an hour now they had been wandering around and around, gettingdeeper into the woods every minute, until they had finally begun to feelreally frightened. Suppose they couldn't find Three Towers before dusk?Suppose they should be forced to stay in the woods all night? These and ahundred other thoughts had chased themselves through their heads, butthey had said nothing of their fears to each other. The girls werethoroughly "game. "

But now had come this new complication. It had begun to rain. Hopelesslylost in the woods and a storm coming on! It was a situation to try thepatience of a saint. And the girls were not saints. They were just happy, fun-loving, lovable specimens of young American girlhood who could uponoccasion show rather alarming flashes of temper. 

"I'm not a ninny, " Vi protested hotly; but Billie was already started ona different train of thought. She caught Vi's wrist in hers and her eyeswere big and round as she looked from her to Laura. 

"Suppose, " she said in a whisper, "we should meet the Codfish!"

Vi shivered nervously, but it was Laura's turn to be cross. 

"Don't be silly, " she said. "Don't you know that the Codfish is safe injail, and has been there for a long time? Now who's making up somethingto worry about, I'd like to know. "

"But thieves do break out of jail, " Billie insisted. "And the Codfish isjust the kind who would do it. "

"Goodness, Billie, what an idea!" said Vi breathlessly. "I never eventhought about his escaping. And I suppose, " she added, beginning to feeldeliciously goose-fleshy, "that we'd be the very first ones he'd go for. Revenge, you know--that's what they are always after in the stories. "

"I hate to interrupt you, " Laura broke in as sarcastically as she could. "But if you two want to stand there all day talking about the Codfish andrevenge, you can, but I'm going to find some way out of this place. Goodness, I felt another drop. And there's another!"

"Well, you needn't count them, " Billie remarked briskly, bringing anhysterical giggle from Vi. "Come on, there must be a path of some kindaround here. "

"I suppose there is, but if we can't find it, it won't do us much good, "said Laura, looking about her helplessly. 

"Well, we certainly won't find it by standing still, " snapped Billie. "Come on. I feel it in my bones that Three Towers is somewhere off inthis direction. " And she led the way into the woods, the girls followingdispiritedly. 

And while the three chums are searching for the path, the opportunitywill be taken to recount to new readers some of the adventures and queerexperiences the girls had had up to the present time. 

In the first book of this series, entitled, "Billie Bradley and HerInheritance, " Billie had been left an old homestead at Cherry Corners inthe upper part of New York State. The strange legacy had come to Billiefrom an eccentric aunt, Beatrice Powerson, for whom Billie had beennamed. For Billie's real name was not Billie at all, but Beatrice. 

It will be remembered that the girls had decided to spend their vacationthere, and that the boys, Billie's brother Chetwood, Laura's brotherTeddy, and another boy, Ferd Stowing, had joined them there and thatqueer and exciting adventures had followed. 

The most wonderful thing of all had been the finding of the shabby oldtrunk in the attic whose contents of rare old coins and postage stampshad brought Billie in nearly five thousand dollars in cash. The money hadenabled Billie to replace a statue which she had accidentally broken alittle while before and had also given her the chance to go to ThreeTowers Hall, a good boarding school, and Chet the opportunity to go tothe Boxton Military Academy, which was only a little over a mile fromThree Towers Hall. 

The good times the girls had at school--and some bad times, too--havebeen told of in the second book of the series, called, "Billie Bradley atThree Towers Hall. "

In North Bend, where the girls had always lived, there lived also twoother girls, Amanda Peabody and Eliza Dilks. These girls were sneaks andtattletales of the worst order and were thoroughly disliked by all thegirls and boys with whom they had come in contact. 

When the chums had heard that Amanda was to accompany them to ThreeTowers they were absolutely dismayed, for they expected that she wouldspoil all the fun. Amanda had done her best to live up to theexpectations of the girls, but try as she would, she had not been able tospoil entirely the fun. And this very failure had, of course, made herand her chum, Eliza Dilks, furious. 

Both Three Towers Hall and Boxton Military Academy had been built on thebanks of the beautiful Lake Molata, and the girls and boys had spent manyhappy hours rowing upon the lake in the fall and skating upon it in thewinter. 

But the most amazing thing that had happened to them at Three Towers hadbeen the capture of the man the girls called "The Codfish. " This rascalhad attempted to steal Billie's precious trunk in the beginning, butBillie and the boys had given chase in an automobile and had succeeded inrecovering the trunk. They had also succeeded in getting a good look atthe man, whose hair was red, eyes little and close together, mouth wideand loose-lipped. It was this last feature that had given the thief hisname with the boys and girls. For the mouth certainly resembled that of acodfish. 

Later the "Codfish" had turned up again near Three Towers Hall, hadrobbed one of the teachers of her purse when she was returning from town, and had later succeeded in making off with a great many valuables fromBoxton Military Academy. 

The girls never forgot how, with the aid of the boys, they had capturedthe Codfish and turned him over to the police. Though, as Laura said, thethief had been in jail for some time, the chums had never stoppedthinking and wondering about him. But never before had the possibility ofhis escaping been thought of. 

But now, as they made their way through the forest that was growingdarker and darker, they could not shake off the thought of him. 

They glanced often and uneasily into the shadowy woodland and drew closertogether as if for protection. The rain was beginning to come a littlefaster now, and their clothes felt damp. Even Billie's courage wasbeginning to fail. 

Suddenly Laura stopped stock still and looked at them impatiently. 

"There's not a bit of use our going on like this, " she said. "For all weknow we may be getting farther away from the path every minute. "

"And my feet hurt, " added Vi pathetically. 

Suddenly Billie called to them. She had gone on a little ahead and, peering through the dusk, had seen the outline of something dark, a blacksmudge against the gray of the woods. 

"Girls, come here quick!" she cried, and half-fearing, half-hoping, theyknew not what, the others ran to her. 

 CHAPTER II

 THE HUT IN THE WOODS

"What is it?" Laura cried. 

For answer Billie pointed through the gloom. 

"There! See it?" she cried excitedly. "It's some sort of little house, Iguess--a hut or something. "

"A house!" cried Laura joyfully. "Glory be, let's go! What's the matter?"she asked, as the other girls hung back. 

"Better not be in too much of a hurry, " Billie cautioned her. "The placelooks as if it were empty; but you never can tell. "

"Well, there's something I can tell, " Laura retorted impatiently. "Andthat is, that I'm getting soaking wet. " She started on again, but Billiecalled to her to stop. 

"Don't be crazy, Laura, " she whispered. "We're all alone in the woods, and it's almost night. How do we know who may be in that shack?"

"Oh, Billie, suppose it were the Codfish!" whispered Vi, and Laura lookeddisgusted. 

"It isn't apt to be the Codfish, " returned Billie. "But whoever it is, Ithink we'd better be careful. We'll go up to it softly and look about abit. Please don't any one speak until we're sure it's all right. "

The girls were used to obeying Billie, even impulsive Laura, so now theyfollowed softly at her heels, stepping over twigs so as to make no noise. 

"Goodness! anybody would think we were thieves ourselves, " Laura giggledhysterically, and Billie looked back at her warningly. 

It was a strange thing and strangely made, this remote little shelter inthe woods. It probably had some sort of framework of wood inside, but allthe girls could see from the outside was a rude structure entirelycovered by moss and interwoven twigs. In fact, unless one looked closely, one might think that the little hut was no hut at all, but part of thefoliage itself. 

The girls could find no windows, but as they moved cautiously around thehut Billie came upon a small door. The latter was hardly more than fourfeet high, and the girls would have to stoop considerably to get throughit. 

"For goodness sake, open it, Billie, " Laura whispered close in her ear. "It's beginning to pour pitchforks and I'm getting soaking wet. I don'tcare if a hyena lives in there, I'm going in too. "

Billie wanted to laugh, but she was too wet and nervous. So she openedthe little door cautiously and peered inside. 

For a minute she could not tell whether the hut was empty or not, for itwas very very dark. But as her eyes became accustomed to the darkness shefelt sure that the place was empty. 

"Come on, " she called over her shoulder to the girls, her voice stillcautiously lowered. "I can't see very well, but I guess there's nobody athome. "

The girls had to stoop almost double to enter the tiny door, but onceinside they were surprised to find that they could stand upright. 

They were in almost entire darkness, the only patch of light coming fromthe little door that Vi had left open. Suddenly they began to feelpanicky again. 

"If we could only get a light, " whispered Vi. 

"Goodness, listen to the child, " said Laura scornfully. "She wants allthe comforts of home--ouch!" Her toe had come in contact with somethinghard. 

"What's the matter?" cried Billie startled. 

"Matter enough, " moaned Laura. "I've broken my toe!"

"Oh well, if that's all, " said Billie, but Laura began to laughhysterically. 

"Oh yes, that's all, " she cried. "I only wish it had happened to you, Billie Bradley!"

If all wishes could be fulfilled as quickly as that of Laura's therewould be few unsatisfied people in the world, for before it was out ofher mouth Billie uttered a sharp cry of pain, and, lifting a smartingankle in her hand, began to rub it gently. 

"Did you do it, too?" cried Laura joyfully, adding with a good imitationof Billie: "Oh well, if that's all--"

"Oh for goodness sake, keep still, " cried Billie, from which it will beseen that Billie was not in the best of tempers. "This place must be fullof stuff. Goodness, why didn't we think to bring matches with us!"

"Because we went out to get ferns, not to burn up the woods, " said Laura, with a chuckle. 

"Goodness!" cried Vi suddenly out of the darkness. "It is--no itisn't--yes it is----"

"For goodness sake, what's the matter with her?" asked Laura, gettinghysterical again. "Has trouble turned her head?"

"No. But something's turned yours, " Vi's voice came indignantly back ather. "I've found something, I have. But I've a good mind not to tell youwhat it is. "

"Violet, my darling, " cried Laura, fondly. "Don't you see me on myknees?"

"Yes, " said Vi, and suddenly there was a flare of light in the room thatilluminated the faces of the girls and made Billie and Laura jump. 

"I see you, " said Vi calmly, and stood laughing at them while theflickering match in her hand died down to a little glimmer and went out. 

"So that's what you found--matches, " cried Billie joyfully, while Laurajust kept on gaping. "Oh, Vi, you're a darling, and I forgive you forscaring us almost to death. Come on, light another one so we can seewhere we are. "

Vi obediently lighted another match, a box of which she had found quiteby accident, and the girls looked about them curiously. And as theylooked their curiosity and wonder grew. Billie was wild with impatiencewhen the match in Vi's hand flickered and went out again. 

"Here, give them to me, " she cried. "I thought I saw something. Look out, don't spill them, Vi!"

"I should say not--they're all we have, " chimed in Laura. 

The match flared up in Billie's hand, and this time it was her turn tomake a discovery. The discovery was a pair of thick white candles, eachset in a white china dish and pushed to one end of a rudely-made table. 

Quick as a flash, Billie put the match to the wick of one candle, andthen, with a sigh of excitement, blew out the match that was almostburning her fingers. 

"Girls, " she cried, looking about her eagerly, "isn't this the queerest, funniest little place you ever saw? And it's so complete. "

Excitedly she crossed the little hut, whose floor was nothing but solid, trampled-down earth, and began to examine a rude-looking cot that ranalong all one side of the queer little place. 

"And here's a pantry!" exclaimed Vi excitedly. "Look, girls, shelves andcans of things and--and--everything!"

The interior of the place was made of rough boards, rudely throwntogether as if by an amateur. Why the person who had made the littlecabin had not laid boards for his floor, nobody could tell. Perhaps hehad run short of lumber or perhaps he preferred the hard earth floor. 

As Vi had said, in one corner some boards had been nailed up to formshelves, and there were several tins of canned goods upon the shelves. Quite evidently this must be the queer owner's pantry. 

Besides this, the cot, the table, and an oddly-shaped chair, which hadevidently been made from an old soap box, made the only furnishings ofthe place. 

"I wonder, " said Billie, looking about her while a sort of awe crept intoher voice, "what the person is like that lives here. He must be veryqueer, to say the least. "

"Oh, " cried Vi, all her old fears coming back again. "Girls, I'd almostforgotten the Codfish. Do you suppose--"

"No, we don't, " said Laura shortly, wishing that the very mention of theCodfish would not send the cold chills all over her. "Goodness, justlisten to that rain, " she added, shivering. "I guess we're in for a nightof it. "

"But we can't stay _here_ all night, " said Billie anxiously. 

"Suppose the owner should come back, " added Vi, her teeth beginning tochatter. 

"Well, he could only kill us if he did, " said Laura gloomily. 

"Besides, there are three of us to his one, " said Billie, trying to speaklightly. But Laura spoiled the attempt by adding more gloomily than ever:

"How do we know there's only one of him?"

"Well it doesn't look as if a whole family resided here. "

"That's so too--but there may be two, at least. "

Again the girls looked around the queer place. They saw a few tools as ifsomebody had spent time in woodworking. There were shavings and parts ofcut tree branches and strips of bark. 

"I'll wager he's a queer stick--whoever he is, " was Billie's comment. 

"And what will he say if he finds us here, prying into his privateaffairs?" came from Laura, with something of a shiver. "Oh!"

All uttered a little cry as a crash of thunder reached them. Then therain seemed to come down harder than ever. 

"Just listen to that!"

"It's good we are under cover. If we weren't we'd be drowned!"

The rain came in at one corner of the shelter, forming a pool on the hardfloor. But it did not reach the girls, for which they were thankful. 

"I wonder how long it will last, " sighed Vi presently. 

"Maybe all night, " returned Billie. 

"Oh, do you really think it will last that long?" came pleadingly. 

"You know as much about it as I do. "

"What will they think of our absence at the Hall?" broke in Laura. 

"They may send out a searching party----" began Billie. 

"Hush, " cried Vi suddenly, and her tone sent the gooseflesh all over themagain. "I hear something. Don't you think we'd better put somethingagainst the door?"

 CHAPTER III

 FERNS AND MYSTERY

"Th-there's nothing to put against the door, " stammered Billie nervously. "I might put out the light though. " She started for the candle, but Lauraput out a hand and stopped her. 

"No, " she said. "I'd rather see what's after us, anyway. I hate thedark. "

The noise that Vi had heard was a slow measured step that sounded to thegirls' overwrought nerves more like the stealthy creeping of an animalthan the tread of a man. But whoever or whatever it was, it was comingsteadily toward the hut--that much was certain. 

The girls drew close together for protection and watched the little doorwide-eyed. 

"It sounds like a bear, " whispered Vi hysterically. 

"Silly, " Laura hissed back at her. "Don't you know that bears don't growin this part of the country?"

"But if it was a man, " Vi argued, "he wouldn't be walking so slowly--notin this kind of weather. "

"Hush, " commanded Billie. "He's almost here. "

"If it's the Codfish--" Vi was saying desperately, when the little dooropened and she clapped her hand to her mouth, choking back the words. 

Some one was coming through the door, some one who had to bend so muchthat for a startled moment the girls were not at all sure but what it wasan animal, after all, and not a man that they had to reckon with. 

Then the visitor stood up and they saw with real relief that it was a manafter all. As a matter of fact, after the first startled minute it wasthe newcomer who seemed frightened and the girls who tried to make himfeel at home. 

At first sight of the girls the man staggered backward and came up with athump against the wall of the hut. From there he regarded them with eyesthat fairly bulged from his head. 

"Hullo!" he muttered, "who are you?"

The girls stared for a moment, then Laura giggled. Who could befrightened when a person wanted to know who they were?

He was a queer looking man. He was tall, over six feet, and so thin thatthe skin seemed to be drawn over the bones. His shoulders slumped and hisarms hung loosely, whether from weariness or discouragement or laziness, the girls found it impossible to tell. 

But it was his eyes that they noticed even in that moment of excitement. They were big, much too big for his thin face, and so dark that theyseemed deep-sunken. And the expression was something that the girlsremembered long afterward. It was brooding, haunted, mysterious, with alittle touch of wildness that frightened the girls. Yet his mouth waskind, very kind, and looking at it, the girls ceased to be afraid. 

"Who _are_ you?" the man repeated, and this time Billie found her voice. 

"We--we got lost, " she said hesitatingly, speaking more to the kind mouthof the man than to the strange, wild eyes. "It began to rain----"

"And we found this little place, " Laura caught her up eagerly, "and cameinside to keep from drowning to death. "

"We hope you don't mind, " Vi finished, with her pleading smile whichsometimes won more than all Billie's and Laura's courage. 

"Mind, " the man repeated vaguely, passing a hand across his eyes as if towake himself up. "Why should I mind? It isn't very often I have company. "

The girls thought he spoke bitterly but the next minute he smiled atthem. 

"I'm sorry I can't ask you to sit down, " he said, so embarrassed thatBillie took pity on him. 

"We don't want to sit down, " she said, smiling at him. "We're toonervous. Do you suppose the rain will ever stop?"

The man shook out his clothing and sent a shower of spray all about him. He was soaking, drenching wet, and suddenly, looking at him, Billie had adreadful thought. 

Suppose the man was not quite right in his mind? She had a horror ofcrazy people. But what sane man would build himself a cabin in the woodslike this in the first place, and then go roaming around in the rainwithout any protection?

A memory of the slow, measured steps they had heard approaching the cabinmade her shudder, and instinctively she drew back a little and snuggledher hand into Laura's. 

If he was not crazy he was probably a criminal of some sort, and neitherthought made Billie feel very comfortable. Three girls alone in the woodswith a crazy man or a criminal, with the darkness coming on----

Something of what she was thinking occurred to Laura and Vi also, andthey were beginning to look rather pale and scared. 

As for the man--he hardly seemed to know what to do next. He took off hisdripping coat, threw it in a heap in one corner and turned backuncertainly to the girls. 

"No, I don't think it will stop raining for some time, " he said, seemingto realize that Billie had asked a question which he had not answered. "And it is getting pretty dark outside. You say you are lost?"

"Yes, " said Billie, wishing she had not told the man that part of theirtroubles; but then, what else could she do? "We were sent into the woodsto find rare ferns----"

"Ferns!" broke in the man, his deep eyes lighting up with suddeninterest. "Ah, I could show you where the rarest and most beautiful fernsin the country grow. "

"You could!" they cried, growing interested in their turn and comingcloser to him. 

"Are you--a--naturalist?" asked Vi a little uncertainly, for she knewjust enough about naturalists to be sure she was not one. 

"I guess you might call me that, " said the man. "I've had plenty of timeto become one. "

Again the girls had that strange feeling of mystery surrounding the man. He walked over to the other end of the room and before the girls' amazedeyes took out what they had thought to be part of the table. 

It was a very cleverly hidden receptacle, and as the girls looked downinto it they saw that it was half filled with curious little fernbaskets. 

"I make them, " the man explained, as they looked up at him, puzzled. "Andthen I sell them in the town--sometimes. "

His mouth tightened bitterly, and he hastily returned the baskets totheir hiding place. Then he turned and faced them abruptly. 

"Where do you come from?" he asked almost sharply. 

"We come from Three Towers Hall, " answered Billie. 

"Three Towers!" The man looked very much interested. "Are you--er--teachersthere or pupils?"

"Teachers! Hardly, " and Billie had to smile. "We are not old enough forthat. We are pupils. "

"Do you like the place?'"

"Very much. "

Again there was a pause, and it must be admitted that, for a reason theycould not explain, the girls felt far from comfortable. Oh, if only theywere back at the boarding school again!

"I don't know a great deal about the school, " said the man slowly. "Isuppose there are lots of girls there. "

"Over a hundred, " said Laura, thinking she should say something. 

"And quite a few teachers, too?"

"Oh, yes. "

Then the man asked quite a lot of other questions and the girls answeredhim as best they could. The man continued to look at them so queerly thatBillie was convinced that there was something wrong with him. But whatwas it? Oh, if only the storm would let up, so they could start back tothe school!

But even when the rain stopped, how could they get back? They were lost, and at night the way would be even harder to find than in the daytime. 

No, they were completely in this man's power. If he put them on the rightpath to Three Towers all well and good. If not----But she refused tothink of that. 

"I'm sure it isn't raining hard any more, " Laura broke in on herthoughts. "Don't you think we could go now?"

"Even if it hasn't stopped raining we don't mind, " added Vi eagerly. "We're wet now, and we won't mind being a little bit wetter. "

For an answer the man opened the door and crawled out into the open. In amoment he was back with what seemed to the girls the best news they hadever heard. 

"The rain is over, " he said, "but the foliage is still dripping. If youreally don't mind getting wet----"

"Oh, we don't!" they cried, and were starting from the door when Visuddenly remembered something. 

"The ferns!" she cried. "Where are they?"

The girls searched frantically about, knowing that their botany teacherwould reprimand them if they did not bring back the ferns, and finallyfound them on the floor where somebody had brushed them in theexcitement. 

Then they crept out through the door, their strange acquaintancelingering behind to put out the light, and found themselves in the cooldarkness of the forest. 

"Do you suppose he will really take us back?" Vi whispered, close toBillie's ear. 

"He'd better!" said Billie, clenching her hands fiercely against herside. "If he doesn't I'll--I'll--murder him!"

"Goodness, don't talk of murder, " cried Laura hysterically. "It's anawful word to use in the dark, and everything!"

 CHAPTER IV

 AT THE SCHOOL AGAIN

"There's only one word worse, " said a gloomy voice so close behind themthat Vi clapped a hand to her mouth to keep from crying out. "And that, "the gloomy voice went on, "is _theft_!"

The girls never afterward knew what kept them from breaking loose andrunning away. Probably it was because they were paralyzed with fright. 

While they had thought the man was still in the hut he had come softly upbehind them and had overheard the last, at any rate, of what they hadsaid. Billie, as usual, was the first to recover herself. 

"Will you take us to Three Towers now?" she asked in a voice that shehardly recognized as her own. "Do you know the way?"

"Yes, " he answered, adding moodily, as though to himself: "Hugo Billingsought to know the way. "

Billie caught at the name quickly, for she had been wondering what thisstrange person called himself. 

"Hugo Billings!" she said eagerly. "Is that your name?"

The man had started on ahead of them through the dark woods, but now hestopped and looked back and Billie could almost feel his eyes boring intoher. 

"Did I say so?" he asked sharply, then just as quickly turned away andstarted on again. 

"Goodness, I guess he must be a crazy criminal, " thought Billieplaintively, as she and her chums followed their leader, stumbling onover rocks and roots that sometimes bruised their ankles painfully. "Isuppose there are some people that are both. Anyway, he must be acriminal, or he wouldn't have been so mad about my knowing his name. "

The rest of that strange journey seemed interminable. There were timeswhen the girls were sure the man who called himself Hugo Billings was nottaking them toward Three Towers Hall at all. It seemed impossible thatthey could have wandered such a long way into the woods. 

Then suddenly their feet struck a hard-beaten path and they almost criedaloud with relief. For they recognized the path and knew that the openroad was not far off. Once on the open road, they could find their wayalone. 

Abruptly the man in front stopped and turned to face them. Once more thegirls' hearts misgave them. Was he going to make trouble after all? Whydidn't he go on?

And then the man spoke. 

"I won't go any farther with you, " he said, and there was something inhis manner of speaking that made them see again in imagination the tiredslump of his shoulders, the wild, haunted look in his eyes. "I don't likethe road. But you can find it easily from here. Then turn to your right. Three Towers is hardly half a mile up the road. Good night. "

He turned with abruptness and started back the way they had come. Butimpulsively Billie ran to him, calling to him to stop. Yet when he didstop and turned to look at her she had not the slightest idea in theworld what she had intended to say--if indeed she had really intended tosay anything. 

"I--I just wanted to thank you, " she stammered, adding, with a swiftlittle feeling of pity for this man who seemed so lonely: "And if there'sanything I can ever do to--to--help you----"

"Who told you I needed help?" cried the man, his voice so harsh andthreatening that Billie started back, half falling over a root. 

"Why--why, " faltered Billie, saying almost the first thing that came intoher mind. "You looked so--so--sad----"

"Sad, " the man repeated bitterly. "Yes, I have enough to make me sad. Buthelp!" he added fiercely. "I don't need help from you or any one. "

And without another word he turned and strode off into the darkness. 

After that it did not take the girls long to reach the road. They felt, someway, as if they must have dreamed their adventure, it had all been sostrange and unreal. And yet they knew they had never been more awake intheir lives. 

"Please don't talk about it now, " begged Vi when Laura would havediscussed it. "Let's wait till we get in our dorm with lights andeverything. I'm just shivering all over. "

For once the others were willing to do as the most timid of the triowished, and they hurried along in silence till they saw, with hearts fullof thankfulness, the lights of Three Towers Hall shine out on the roadbefore them. 

"Look, I see the lights!"

"So do I!"

"Thank goodness we haven't much farther to go. "

"It's all of a quarter of a mile, Vi. "

"Huh! what's a quarter of a mile after such a tramp as we have had?" camefrom Billie. 

"And after such an experience, " added Laura. 

"We'll certainly have some story to tell. "

"I want something to eat first. "

"Yes, and dry clothes, too. "

"What a queer hut and what a queer man!"

"I've heard of people being lost before, " said Billie, as they ran up thesteps that led to the handsomest door in the world, or at least so theythought it at that moment. "But now I know that what they said about itwasn't half bad enough. "

"But not every one finds a hut and a funny man when they get lost, " saidVi. 

"Well, you needn't be so conceited about it, " said Laura, pausing withher hand on the door knob. "The girls probably won't believe us when wetell them. "

But Laura was wrong. The girls did really believe the story of HugoBillings and the hut and became tremendously excited about it. At firstthey were all for making up an expedition and going to see it--the onlydrawback being that the chums could not have directed them to it if theywould. 

And they would not have wished to, anyway. They had rather good reason tobelieve that Hugo Billings would not want a lot of curious girls spyingabout his quarters, and, being sorry for him and grateful to him forhelping them out of their fix, they absolutely refused to have anythingto do with the idea. 

They were greeted with open arms on the night of their return. MissWalters, the much-beloved head of Three Towers Hall, said that she hadbeen just about to send out a searching party for them. 

They were late for supper, but that only made their appetites better, andas they were favorites of the cook they were given an extra share ofeverything and ate ravenously, impatient of the questions flung at themby the curious girls. 

"Thank goodness the Dill Pickles aren't here, " Laura said to Billiebetween mouthfuls of pork chop. "Think of coming home with _our_appetites to the kind of dinners they used to serve us. "

"Laura! what a horrible thought, " cried Billie, her eyes dancing as shehelped herself to two more biscuits. "That's treason. "

For the "Dill Pickles" were two elderly spinsters who had been teachersat Three Towers Hall when Billie and her chums had first arrived. Theirtartness and strictness and miserliness had made the life of the girls inthe school uncomfortable for some time. 

And then had come the climax. Miss Walters, having been called away for aweek or two, Miss Ada Dill and Miss Cora Dill, disrespectfully dubbed bythe girls the twin "Dill Pickles, " had things in their own hands andproceeded to make the life of the girls unbearable. They had taken awaytheir liberty, and then had half starved them by cutting down on themeals until finally the girls had rebelled. 

With Billie in the lead, they had marched out of Three Towers Hall oneday, bag and baggage, to stay in a hotel in the town of Molata until MissWalters should get back. Miss Walters, coming home unexpectedly, had metthe girls in town, accompanied them back to Three Towers and, as one ofthe girls slangily described it, "had given the Dill Pickles all that wascoming to them. "

In other words, the Misses Dill had been discharged and the girls hadcome off victorious. Now there were two new teachers in their place whowere as different from the Dill Pickles as night is from day. All thegirls loved them, especially a Miss Arbuckle who had succeeded Miss CoraDill in presiding over the dining hall. 

So it was to this that Laura had referred when she said, "Thank goodnessthe Dill Pickles are gone!"

After they had eaten all they could possibly contain, the girls retiredto their dormitories, where they changed their clothes, still damp fromtheir adventure, for comfortable, warm night gowns, and held court, allthe girls gathering in their dormitory to hear of their adventures, fornearly an hour. 

At the end of that time the bell for "lights-out" rang, and the chumsfound to their surprise that for once they were not sorry. What with theadventure itself and the number of questions they had answered, they weretired out and longed for the comfort of their beds. 

"But do you suppose, " said Connie Danvers as she rose to go into herdormitory, which was across the hall, "that the man was really a littleout of his head?"

"I think he was more than a little, " said Laura decidedly, as she dippedher face into a bowl of cold water. "I think he was just plain crazy. "

Connie Danvers was a very good friend of the chums, and one of the mostpopular girls in Three Towers Hall. Just now she looked a little worried. 

"Goodness! first we have the Codfish, " she said, "and then you girls goand rake up a crazy man. We'll be having a menagerie next!"

 CHAPTER V

 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

It was the spring of the year, a time when every normal boy and girlbecomes restless for new scenes, new adventures. The girls at ThreeTowers Hall heard the mysterious call and longed through hot days ofstudy to respond to it. 

The teachers felt the restlessness in the air and strove to keep thegirls to their lessons by making them more interesting. But it was of nouse. The girls studied because they had to, not, except in a fewscattered cases, because they wanted to. 

One of the exceptions to the rule was Caroline Brant, a natural studentand a serious girl, who had set herself the rather hopeless task ofwatching over Billie Bradley and keeping her out of scrapes. For Billie, with her love of adventure and excitement, was forever getting into somesort of scrape. 

But these days it would have taken half a dozen Caroline Brants to havekept Billie in the traces. Billie was as wild as an unbroken colt, andjust as impatient of control. And Laura and Vi were almost as bad. 

There was some excuse for the girls. In the first place, the spring termat Three Towers Hall was drawing to a close, and at the end of the springterm came--freedom. 

But the thing that set their blood racing was the thought of what was instore for them after they had gained their freedom. Connie Danvers hadgiven the girls an invitation to visit during their vacation her father'sbungalow on Lighthouse Island, a romantic spot off the Maine coast. 

The prospect had appealed to the girls even in the dead of winter; butnow, with the sweet scent of damp earth and flowering shrubs in the air, they had all they could do to wait at all. 

The chums had written to their parents about spending their vacation onthe island, and the latter had consented on one condition. And thatcondition was that the girls should make a good record for themselves atThree Towers Hall. And it is greatly to be feared that it was only thisunreasonable--to the girls--condition that kept them at their studies atall. 

It was Saturday morning, and Billie, all alone in one of the study halls, was finishing her preparation for Monday's classes. She always got rid ofthis task on Saturday morning, so as to have her Saturday afternoon andSunday free. She had never succeeded in winning Laura and Vi over to hermethod, so that on their part there was usually a wild scramble toprepare Monday's lessons on Sunday afternoon. 

As Billie, books in hand and a satisfied feeling in her heart, came outof the study room, she very nearly ran into Miss Arbuckle. Miss Arbuckleseemed in a great hurry about something, and the tip of her nose and hereyes were red as though she had been crying. 

"Why, what's the matter?" asked Billie, for Billie was not at all tactfulwhen any one was in trouble. Her impulse was to jump in and help, whetherone really wanted her help or not. But everybody that knew Billie forgaveher her lack of tact and loved her for the desire to help. 

So now Miss Arbuckle, after a moment of hesitation, motioned Billie intothe study room, and, crossing over to one of the windows, stood lookingout, tapping with her fingers on the sill. 

"I've lost something, Billie, " she said, without looking around. "It maynot seem much to you or to anybody else. But for me--well, I'd ratherhave lost my right hand. "

She looked around then, and Billie saw fresh moisture in her eyes. 

"What is it?" she asked gently. "Perhaps I--we can help you find it. "

"I wish you could, " said Miss Arbuckle, with a little sigh. "But thatwould be too good to be true. It was only an old family album, Billie. But there were pictures in it that I prize above everything I own. Oh, well, " she gave a little shrug of her shoulders as if to end the matter. "I'll get over it. I've had to get over worse things. But, " she smiledand patted Billie's shoulder fondly, "I didn't mean to burden your youngshoulders with my troubles. Just run along and forget all about it. "

Billie did run along, but she most certainly did not "forget all aboutit. "

"Funny thing to get so upset about, " she said to herself, as she slowlyclimbed the steps to her dormitory. "A picture album! I don't believe I'dever get my nose and eyes all red over one. Just the same, I'd like tofind it and give it back to her. Good Miss Arbuckle! After the DillPickles, she seems like an angel. "

She was still smiling over the thought of what had happened to the DillPickles when she opened the door of the dormitory and came upon herchums. 

Laura and Vi and a dark-haired, pink-cheeked girl were sitting on one ofthe beds in one corner of the dormitory, alternately talking and gazingdreamily out of the window to Lake Molata, where it gleamed and shimmeredin the morning sunlight at the end of a sloping lawn. 

The dark-haired, pink-cheeked girl was Rose Belser. Rose Belser, beingjealous of Billie's immense popularity at Three Towers Hall the termbefore, had done her best to get the new girl into trouble, only to bewon over to Billie's side in the end. Now she was as firm a friend ofBillie's as any girl in Three Towers Hall. 

"Well!" was Laura's greeting as Billie sauntered toward them. "Methinks'tis time you arrived, sweet damsel. Goodness!" she added, dropping herlazy tone and sitting up with a bounce, "I don't see why you have to goand spoil the whole morning with your beastly old studying. Think of thefun we could have had. "

"Well, but think of the fun we're going to have this afternoon, " Billieflung back airily, stopping before the mirror to tuck some wisps of hairinto place, while the girls, even Rose, who was as pretty as a pictureherself, watched her admiringly. "It's almost lunch time. "

"You don't have to tell us that, " said Vi in an aggrieved tone. "Haven'twe been waiting for you all morning?"

"Oh, come on, " said Billie, as the lunch gong sounded invitingly throughthe hall. "Maybe when you've had something to eat you'll feel better. Feed the beast----"

"Say, she's calling us names again, " cried Laura, making a dive forBillie. But Billie was already flying down the steps two at a time, andwhen Billie once got a head start, no one, at least no one in ThreeTowers Hall, had a chance of catching up with her. 

It seemed to be Billie's day for bumping into people--for at the foot ofthe stairs she had to clutch the banister to keep from colliding withMiss Walters, the beautiful and much loved head of the school. 

At Billie's sudden appearance the latter seemed inclined to be alarmed, then her eyes twinkled, and as she looked at Billie she chuckled, yes, actually chuckled. 

"Beatrice Bradley, " she said, with a shake of her head as she passed on, "I've done my best with you, but it's of no use. You're utterlyincorrigible. "

Billie looked thoughtful as she seated herself at the table, and a momentlater, under cover of the general conversation, she leaned over andwhispered to Laura. 

"Miss Walters said something funny to me, " she confided. "I'm not quitesure yet whether she was calling me names or not. "

"What did she say?" asked Laura, looking interested. 

"She said I was incorrigible, " Billie whispered back. 

"Incorrigible, " there was a frown on Laura's forehead, then it suddenlycleared and she smiled beamingly. 

"Why yes, don't you remember?" she said. "We had it in English class theother day. Incorrigible means wicked, you know--bad. You can't reform'em, you know--incorrigibles. " The last word was mumbled through amouthful of soup. 

"Can't reform 'em!" Billie repeated in dismay. "Goodness, do you supposethat's what she really thinks of me?"

"I don't see why she shouldn't, " Laura said wickedly, and Billie wouldsurely have thrown something at her if Miss Arbuckle's eye had nothappened at that moment to turn in her direction. 

Miss Arbuckle's eye brought to Billie's mind the teacher's trouble, andshe confided it in a low tone to Laura. 

"Humph, " commented Laura, her mind only on the fun they were going tohave that afternoon, "I'm sorry, of course, but I don't believe any oldalbum would make me shed tears. "

"Don't be so sure of that, Laura. "

"What? Cry over an old album?" and Laura looked her astonishment. 

"But suppose the album had in it the pictures of those you loved verydearly--pictures perhaps of those that were dead and gone and picturesthat you couldn't replace?"

"Oh, well--I suppose that would be different. Did she say anything aboutthe people?"

"She didn't go into details, but she said they were pictures she prizedabove anything. "

"Oh, perhaps then that would make a difference. "

"I hope she gets the album back, " said Billie seriously. 

Then Laura promptly forgot all about both Miss Arbuckle and the album. 

A little while later the girls swung joyfully out upon the road, boundfor town and shopping and perhaps some ice cream and--oh, just a jollygood time of the kind girls know so well how to have, especially in thespring of the year. 

 CHAPTER VI

 FOUND--ONE ALBUM

"I'm sorry Connie couldn't come along, " said Laura, drinking in deepbreaths of the fragrant air. 

"Yes, " said Billie, her eyes twinkling. "She said she wished she hadn'tbeen born with a conscience. "

"A conscience, " said Vi innocently. "Why?"

"Because, " said Billie, her cheeks aglow with the heat and exercise, herbrown hair clinging in little damp ringlets to her forehead, and her eyesbright with health and the love of life, "then she could have had a goodtime to-day instead of staying at home in a stuffy room and writing acartload of letters. She says if she doesn't write them, she'll neverdare face her friends when she gets home. "

"She's a darling, " said Laura, executing a little skip in the road thatsent the dust flying all about them. "Just think--if we hadn't met her wewouldn't be looking forward to Lighthouse Island and a dear old uncle whoowns the light----"

"Anybody would think he was your uncle, " said Vi. 

"Well, he might just as well be, " Laura retorted. "Connie says that headopts all the boys and girls about the place. "

"And that they adopt him, " Billie added, with a nod. "He must be adarling. I'm just crazy to see him. "

Connie Danver's Uncle Tom attended the lighthouse, and, living there allthe year around, had become as much of a fixture as the island itself. Connie loved this uncle of hers, and had told the girls enough about himto rouse their curiosity and make them very eager to meet him. 

The girls walked on in silence for a little way and then, as they came toa path that led into the woods, Laura stopped suddenly and said in adramatic voice:

"Do you realize where we are, my friends? Do you, by any chance, remembera tall, thin, wild-eyed man?"

Did they remember? In a flash they were back again in a queer little hutin the woods, where a tall man stood and stared at them with strangeeyes. 

Laura and Vi started to go on, but Billie stood staring at the path withfascinated eyes. 

"I wonder why, " she said, as she turned slowly away in response to theurging of the girls, "nothing ever seems the same in the sunlight. Theother night when we were running along that path we were scared to death, and now----"

"You sound as if you'd like to stay scared to death, " said Lauraimpatiently, for Laura had not Billie's imagination. 

"I guess I don't like to be scared any more than any one else, " Billieretorted. "But I _would_ like to see that man again. I wonder----" shepaused and Vi prompted her. 

"Wonder what?" she asked. 

"Why, " said Billie, a thoughtful little crease on her forehead, "I wasjust wondering if we could find the little hut again if we tried. "

"Of course we couldn't!" Laura was very decided about it. "We were lost, weren't we? And when the man showed us the way back it was dark----"

"The only way I can see, " said Vi, who often had rather funny ideas, "would be to have one of us stand in the road and hold on to strings tiedto the other two so that if they got lost----"

"The one in the road could haul 'em back, " said Laura sarcastically. "That's a wonderful idea, Vi. "

"Well, I _would_ like to see that man again, " sighed Billie. "He seemedso sad. I'm sure he was in trouble, and I'd so like to help him. "

"Yes and when you offered you nearly got your head bit off, " observedLaura. 

Billie's eyes twinkled. 

"That's what Daddy says always happens to people who try to help, " shesaid. "I feel awfully sorry for him, just the same, " she finisheddecidedly. 

Then Laura did a surprising thing. She put an arm about Billie'sshoulders and hugged her fondly. 

"Billie Bradley, " she said sadly, "I do believe you would feel sorry fora snake that bit you, just because it was only a snake. "

"Perhaps that's why she loves _you_, " said Vi innocently, and scored apoint. Laura looked as if she wanted to be mad for a minute, but she wasnot. She only laughed with the girls. 

They had as good a time as they had expected to have in town thatafternoon--and that is saying something. 

First they went shopping. Laura had need of a ribbon girdle. Althoughthey all knew that a blue one would be bought in the end, as blue was thecolor that would go best with the dress with which the girdle was to beworn, the merits and beauties of a green one and a lavender one werediscussed and comparisons made with the blue one over and over, all fromvery love of the indecision and, more truly, the joy that looking at thedainty, pretty colors gave them. 

"Well, I think this is the very best of all, Laura, " said Billie finally, picking up the pretty blue girdle with its indistinct pattern of lighterblue and white. 

"Yes, it is a beauty, " replied Laura. "I'll take that one, " she went onto the clerk. 

After that came numerous smaller purchases until, as Vi said dolefully, all their money was gone except enough to buy several plates of ice creamapiece. 

They were standing just outside the store where their last purchases hadbeen made when Billie, looking down the street, gave a cry of delight. 

"Look who's coming!" she exclaimed. 

"It's the boys!" cried Vi. "Mercy, girls, we might just as well havespent the rest of our money, the boys will treat us to the ice cream. "

"Goodness, Vi! do you want to spend your money whether you get anythingyou really need or wish for or not?" inquired Billie, with a little gasp. 

"What in the world is money for if not to spend?" asked Vi, making bigand innocent eyes at Billie. 

Just then the boys came within speaking distance. 

"Well, this is what I call luck!" exclaimed Ferd Stowing. 

"Yes, " added Teddy, putting his hand in his pocket, "just hear the moneyjingle. A nice big check from Dad in just appreciation of his absent son!What do you girls say to an ice-cream spree? No less than three apiece, with all this unwonted wealth. "

"Ice cream? I should say!" was Billie's somewhat slangy acceptance. 

"Teddy, " suddenly asked Laura, "how does it come that you have any moneyleft from Dad's check?"

"Check came just as we left the Academy, Captain Shelling cashed it forme, and we have just reached town. "

"Oh! Well, maybe I'll find one, too, when we reach Three Towers. "

"So that's it, is it, sister mine? Envy!"

After that they ate ice cream to repletion, and at last the girls decidedthat there was nothing much left to do but to go back to the school. 

It was just as well that they had made this decision, for the sun wasbeginning to sink in the west and the supper hour at Three Towers Hallwas rather early. As they started toward home, having said good-bye tothe boys, the girls quickened their pace. 

It was not till they were nearing the path which, to Billie at least, hadbeen surrounded by a mysterious halo since the adventure of the othernight that the girls slowed up. Then it was Billie who did the slowingup. 

"Girls, " she said in a hushed voice, "I suppose you'll laugh at me, butI'd just love to follow that path into the woods a little way. You don'tneed to come if you don't want to. You can wait for me here in the road. "

"Oh, no, " said Laura, with a little sigh of resignation. "If you aregoing to be crazy we might as well be crazy with you. Come on, Vi, if wedidn't go along, she would probably get lost all over again--just for thefun of it. "

Billie made a little face at them and plunged into the woods. Laurafollowed, and after a minute's hesitation Vi trailed at Laura's heels. 

They were so used to Billie's sudden impulses that they had stoppedprotesting and merely went along with her, which, as Billie herself hadoften pointed out, saved a great deal of argument. 

They might have saved themselves all worry on Billie's account this time, though, for she had not the slightest intention of getting lostagain--once was enough. 

She went only as far as the end of the path, and when the other girlsreached her she was peering off into the forest as if she hoped to seethe mysterious hut--although she knew as well as Laura and Vi that theyhad walked some distance through the woods the other night before theyhad finally reached the path. 

"Well, are you satisfied?" Laura asked, with a patient sigh. "If youdon't mind my saying it, I'm getting hungry. "

"Goodness! after all that ice cream?" cried Billie, adding with a littlechuckle: "You're luckier than I am, Laura. I feel as if I shouldn't wantanything to eat for a thousand years. "

She was just turning reluctantly to follow her chums back along the pathwhen a dark, bulky-looking object lying in a clump of bushes near bycaught her eye and she went over to examine it. 

"Now what in the world----" Laura was beginning despairingly whensuddenly Billie gave a queer little cry. 

"Come here quick, girls!" she cried, reaching down to pick up the bulkyobject which had caught her attention. "I do believe--yes, it is--it mustbe----"

"Well, say it!" the others cried, peering impatiently over her shoulder. 

"Miss Arbuckle's album, " finished Billie. 

 CHAPTER VII

 STRANGE ACTIONS

Instead of seeming excited, Laura and Vi stared. Vi had not even heardthat Miss Arbuckle had lost an album, and Laura just dimly rememberedBillie's having said something about it. 

But Billie's eyes were shining, and she was all eagerness as she pickedthe old-fashioned volume up and began turning over the pages. She wasthinking of poor Miss Arbuckle's red nose and eyes of that morning and ofhow different the teacher's face would look when she, Billie, returnedthe album. 

"Oh, I'm so glad, " she said. "I felt awfully sorry for Miss Arbuckle thismorning. "

"Well, I wish I knew what you were talking about, " said Vi plaintively, and Billie briefly told of her meeting with Miss Arbuckle in the morningand of the teacher's grief at losing her precious album. 

"Humph! I don't see anything very precious about it, " sniffed Laura. "Look--the corners are all worn through. "

"Silly, it doesn't make any difference how old it is, " said Vi as theystarted back along the path, Billie holding on tight to the book. "It mayhave pictures in it she wants to save. It may be--what is it they call'em?--an heirloom or something. And Mother says heirlooms are precious. "

"Well, I know one that isn't, " said Laura, with a little grimace. "Motherhas a wreath made out of hair of different members of the family. Shesays it's precious, too; but I notice she keeps it in the darkest cornerof the attic. "

"Well, this isn't a hair wreath, it's an album, " Billie pointed out. "AndI don't blame Miss Arbuckle for not wanting to lose an album with familypictures in it. "

"But how did she come to lose it there?" asked Laura, as the road couldbe seen dimly through the trees. "The woods seem a funny place. Girls, "and Laura's eyes began to shine excitedly, "it's a mystery!"

"Oh, dear, " sighed Vi plaintively, "there she goes again. Everything hasto be a mystery, whether it is or not. "

"But it is, isn't it?" insisted Laura, turning to Billie for support. "Alady says she has lost an album. In a little while we find that samealbum----"

"I suppose it's the same, " put in Billie, looking at the album as if ithad not occurred to her before that this might not be Miss Arbuckle'salbum, after all. 

"Of course it is, silly, " Laura went on impatiently. "It isn't likelythat two people would be foolish enough to lose albums on the same day. If it had been a stick pin now, or a purse----"

"Yes, yes, go on, " Billie interrupted. "You were talking aboutmysteries. "

"Well, it is, isn't it?" demanded Laura, becoming so excited she couldnot talk straight. "What was Miss Arbuckle doing in the woods with heralbum, in the first place?"

"She might have been looking at it, " suggested Vi mildly. 

Billie giggled at the look Laura gave Vi. 

"Yes. But may I ask, " said Laura, trying to appear very dignified, "why, if she only wanted to _look_ at the pictures, she couldn't do it someplace else--in her room, for instance?"

"Goodness, I'm not a detective, " said poor Vi. "If you want to ask anyquestions go and ask Miss Arbuckle. I didn't lose the old album. "

Laura gave a sigh of exasperation. 

"A person might as well try to talk to a pair of wooden Indians, " shecried, then turned appealingly to Billie. "Don't you think there'ssomething mysterious about it, Billie?"

"Why, it does seem kind of queer, " Billie admitted, adding quickly asLaura was about to turn upon Vi with a whoop of triumph. "But I don'tthink it's very mysterious. Probably Miss Arbuckle just wanted to bealone or something, and so she brought the album out into the woods tolook it over by herself. I like to do it sometimes myself--with a book Imean. Just sneak off where nobody can find me and read and read until Iget so tired I fall asleep. "

"Well, but you can't look at pictures in a shabby old album until youfeel so tired you fall asleep, " grumbled Laura, feeling like a cat thathas just had a saucer of rich cream snatched from under its nose. "Yougirls wouldn't know a mystery if you fell over it. "

"Maybe not, " admitted Billie good-naturedly, her face brightening as sheadded, contentedly: "But I do know one thing, and that is that MissArbuckle is going to be very glad when she sees this old album again!"

And she was right. When they reached Three Towers Hall Laura and Vi wentupstairs to the dormitory to wash up and get ready for supper whileBillie stopped at Miss Arbuckle's door, eager to tell her the good newsat once. 

She rapped gently, and, receiving no reply, softly pushed the door open. Miss Arbuckle was standing by the window looking out, and somehow Billieknew, even before the teacher turned around, that she had been cryingagain. 

The tired droop of the shoulders, the air of discouragement--suddenlythere flashed across Billie's mind a different picture, the picture of atall lank man with stooped shoulders and dark, deep-set eyes, looking ather strangely. 

A puzzled little line formed itself across her forehead. Why, shethought, had Miss Arbuckle made her think of the man who called himselfHugo Billings and who lived in a hut in the woods?

Perhaps because they both seemed so very sad. Yes, that must be it. Thenher face brightened as she felt the bulky album under her arm. Here wassomething that would make Miss Arbuckle smile, at least. 

Billie spoke softly and was taken aback at the suddenness with which MissArbuckle turned upon her, regarding her with startled eyes. 

For a moment teacher and pupil regarded each other. Then slowly apitiful, crooked smile twitched Miss Arbuckle's lips and her hand reachedout gropingly for the back of a chair. 

"Oh, it's--it's you, " she stammered, adding with an apologetic smile thatmade her look more natural: "I'm a little nervous to-day--a little upset. What is it, Billie? Why didn't you knock?" The last words were said inMiss Arbuckle's calm, slightly dry voice, and Billie began to feel morenatural herself. She had been frightened when Miss Arbuckle swung aroundupon her. 

"I did, " she answered. "Knock, I mean. But you didn't hear me. I foundsomething of yours, Miss Arbuckle. " Her eyes fell to the volume she stillcarried under her arm, and Miss Arbuckle, following the direction of hergaze, recognized her album. 

She gave a little choked cry, and her face grew so white that Billie ranto her, fearing she hardly knew what. But she had no need to worry, foralthough fear sometimes kills, joy never does, and in a minute MissArbuckle's eager hands were clutching the volume, her fingers tremblingas they rapidly turned over the leaves. 

"Yes, here they are, here they are, " she cried suddenly, and Billie, peeping over her shoulder, looked down at the pictured faces of three ofthe most beautiful children she had ever seen. "My darlings, mydarlings, " Miss Arbuckle was saying over and over again. Then suddenlyher head dropped to the open page and her shoulders shook with the sobsthat tore themselves from her. 

Billie turned away and tiptoed across the room, her own eyes wet, but shestopped with her hand on the door. 

"My little children!" Miss Arbuckle cried out sobbingly. "My preciouslittle babies! I couldn't lose your pictures after losing you. They wereall I had left of you, and I couldn't lose them, I couldn't--Icouldn't----"

Billie opened the door, and, stepping out into the hall, closed it softlyafter her. She brushed her hand across her eyes, for there were tears inthem, and her feet felt shaky as she started up the stairs. 

"Well, I--I never!" she told herself unsteadily. "First she nearly scaresme to death. And then she cries and talks about her children, and saysshe's lost them. Goodness, I shouldn't wonder but that Laura is rightafter all. There certainly is something mighty strange about it. "

And when, a few minutes later, she told the story to her chums theyagreed with her, even Vi. 

"Why, I never heard of such a thing, " said the latter, lookinginterested. "You say she seemed frightened when you went in, Billie?"

"Terribly, " answered Billie. "It seemed as if she might faint orsomething. "

"And the children, " Laura mused delightedly aloud. "I'm going to find outwho those children are and why they are lost if I die doing it. "

"Now look who she thinks she is, " jeered Vi. 

"Who?" asked Laura with interest. 

"The Great Lady Detective, " said Vi, and Laura's chest, if one takesBillie's word for it, swelled to about three times its natural size. 

"That's all right, " said Laura, in response to the girls' gibes. "I'llget in some clever work, with nothing but a silly old photograph album asa clue, or a motive--oh, well, I don't know just what the album is yet, but an album is worse than commonplace, it is plumb foolish as a centeraround which to work. Oh, ho! Great Lady Detective! Solves most marvelousand intricate mystery with only the slightest of clues, an old photographalbum, to point the way! Oh, ho!"

 CHAPTER VIII

 AN INVITATION

The girls could never have told exactly why, but they kept the mystery ofthe album and Miss Arbuckle's strange actions to themselves, with oneexception. 

They did confide their secret to fluffy-haired, blue-eyed Connie Danvers. For they had long ago adopted Connie as one of themselves and werebeginning to feel that they had known her all their lives. 

Connie had been interested enough in their story to satisfy even thechums and had urged Billie to describe the pretty children in the albumover whom Miss Arbuckle had cried. 

Billie tried, but, having seen the pictures but once, it was hardly to beexpected that she would be able to give the girls a very cleardescription of them. 

It was good enough to satisfy Connie, however, who, in her enthusiasm, went so far as to suggest that they form a Detective Club. 

This the girls might have done if it had not been for an interruption inthe form of Chet Bradley, Teddy Jordon and their chum, Ferd Stowing. 

The boys had entered Boxton Military Academy at the time the girls hadentered Three Towers Hall, and the boys were as enthusiastic about theiracademy as the girls were about their beloved school. 

The head of Boxton Military Academy was Captain Shelling, a splendidexample of army officer whom all the students loved and admired. They didnot know it, but there was not one of the boys in the school who did nothope that some day he might be like Captain Shelling. 

Now, as the spring term was drawing to a close, there were greatpreparations being made at the Academy for the annual parade of cadets. 

The girls knew that visitors were allowed, and they were beginning towonder a little uneasily whether they were to be invited or not when oneafternoon the boys turned up and settled the question for them verysatisfactorily. 

It was Saturday afternoon, just a week after the finding of MissArbuckle's album, and the girls, Laura, Billie, Vi and Connie, werewandering arm in arm about the beautiful campus of Three Towers Hall whena familiar hail came to them from the direction of the road. 

"It's Chet, " said Billie. 

"No, it isn't--it's Teddy, " contradicted Laura. 

"It's both of 'em, " added Vi. 

"No, you are both wrong, " said Connie, gazing eagerly through the trees. "Here they come, girls. Look, there are four of them. "

"Yes, there are four of them, " mocked Laura, mischievous eyes on Connie'sreddening face. "The third is Ferd Stowing, of course. And I wonder, oh, I wonder, who the fourth can be!"

"Don't be so silly! I think you're horrid!" cried Connie, which only madeLaura chuckle the more. 

For while they had been at the Academy, the boys had made a friend. Hisname was Paul Martinson, and he was tall and strongly built and--yes, even Billie had to admit it--almost as good looking as Teddy!

If Billie said that about any one it was pretty sure to be true. ForBillie and Teddy Jordon had been chums and playmates since they couldremember, and Billie had always been sure that Teddy must be the verybest looking boy in the world, not even excepting her brother Chet, ofwhom she was very fond. 

But Billie was not the only one who had found Paul Martinson goodlooking. Connie had liked him, and had said innocently one day after theboys had gone that Paul Martinson looked like the hero in a story bookshe was reading. 

The girls had giggled, and since then Laura had made poor Connie's lifemiserable--or so Connie declared. She could not have forgotten PaulMartinson, even if she had wanted to. 

As for Paul Martinson, he had shown a liking for Billie that somehow madeTeddy uncomfortable. Teddy was very much surprised to find howuncomfortable it did make him. Billie was a "good little chum and allthat, but that didn't say that another fellow couldn't speak to her. " Butjust the same he had acted so queerly two or three times lately thatBillie had bothered him exceedingly asking him what the matter with himwas and telling him to "cheer up, it wasn't somebody's funeral, youknow. " Billie had been puzzled over his answer to that. He had mutteredsomething about "it's not anybody's funeral yet, maybe, but everythinghad to start sometime. "

When Billie had innocently told Laura about it she was still more puzzledat the way Laura had acted. Instead of being sensible, she had suddenlyburied her face in the pillow--they had been sitting on Billie's bed, exchanging confidences--and fairly shook with laughter. 

"Well, what in the world----" Billie had begun rather resentfully, whenLaura had interrupted her with an hysterical: "For goodness sake, Billie, I never thought you could be so dense. But you are. You're absolutelycrazy, and so is Teddy, and so is everybody!"

And after that Billie never confided any of Teddy's sayings to Lauraagain. 

On this particular afternoon it did not take the girls long to find outthat the boys had some good news to tell them. 

"Come on down to the dock, " Teddy said, taking hold of Billie's arm andurging her down toward the lake as he spoke. "Maybe we can find somecanoes and rowboats that aren't working. "

But when they reached the dock there was never a craft of any kind to beseen except those far out upon the glistening water of the lake. Ofcourse the beautiful weather was responsible for this, for all the girlswho had not lessons to do or errands in town had made a bee line--as FerdStowing expressed it--straight down to the lake. 

"Oh, well, this will do, " said Teddy, sitting down on the edge of thelittle dock so that his feet could hang over and reaching up a hand forBillie. "Come along, everybody. We can look at the water, anyway. "

The girls and boys scrambled down obediently and there was greatexcitement when Connie's foot slipped and she very nearly tumbled intothe lake. Paul Martinson steadied her, and she thanked him with a littleblush that made Laura look at her wickedly. 

"How beautifully pink your complexion is in the warm weather, Connie, "she said innocently, adding with a little look that made Connie want toshake her: "It can't be anything _but_ the heat, can it? You haven't afever, or something?"

"No. But you'll have something beside a fever, " threatened Connie, "ifyou don't keep still. "

"Say, stop your rowing, girls, and listen to me, " Teddy interrupted, picking a pebble from the dock and throwing it far out into the gleamingwater, where it dropped with a little splash. "Our famous parade ofcadets comes off next week. You're going to be on deck, aren't you?"

"We might, " said Billie, with a demure little glance at him, "if somebodywould only ask us!"

 CHAPTER IX

 AMANDA AGAIN

The great day came at last and found the girls in a fever of mingledexcitement and fear. Excitement because of the great advent; fear, because the sky had been overcast since early morning and it looked as ifthe whole thing might have to be postponed on account of rain. 

"And if there is anything I hate, " complained Laura, moving restlesslyfrom her mirror over to the window and back again, "it's to be allprepared for a thing and then have it spoiled at the last minute byrain. "

"Well, I guess you don't hate it any more than the rest of us, " saidBillie, her thoughts on the pretty pink flowered dress she had decided towear to the parade. It was not only a pretty dress, but was verybecoming. Both Teddy and Chet had told her so. "And the boys would beterribly disappointed, " she added. 

"I wonder, " Vi was sitting on the bed, sewing a hook and eye on the dressshe had intended to wear, "if Amanda Peabody and The Shadow will bethere. "

Laura turned abruptly from the window and regarded her with a reproachfulstare. 

"Now I know you're a joy killer, " she said; "for if Amanda Peabody andThe Shadow (the name the girls had given Eliza Dilks because she alwaysfollowed Amanda as closely as a shadow does) succeeded in gettingthemselves invited to any sort of affair where we girls were to be, theywould be sure to do something annoying. "

"They are going to be there, just the same, " said Billie, and the twogirls looked at her in surprise. "They told me so, " she said, in answerto the unspoken question. "They have some sort of relatives among theboys at the Academy, and these relatives didn't have sense enough not toinvite them. "

"Humph!" grunted Laura, "Amanda probably hinted around till the boyscouldn't help inviting her. Look--oh, look!" she cried in such adifferent tone that the girls stared at her. "The sun!" she said. "Oh, it's going to clear up, it's going to clear up!"

"Well, you needn't step on my blue silk for all that, " complained Vi, asLaura caught an exultant heel in the latter's dress. 

"Don't be grouchy, darling, " said Laura, all good-nature again now thatthe sun had appeared. "My, but we're going to have a good time!"

"I'll say we are, " sang out Billie, as she gayly spread out the pinkflowered dress upon the bed. "And we're not going to let anybody spoil iteither--even Eliza Dilks and Amanda Peabody. "

The girls had an hour in which to get ready, and they were ready andwaiting before half that time was up. The Three Towers Hall carryall wasto call for the girls who had been lucky enough to receive invitationsfrom the cadets of Boxton Military Academy, and as the girls, lookinglike gay-colored butterflies in their summery dresses, gathered on thesteps of the school there were so many of them that it began to look asif the carryall would have to make two trips. 

"If we have to go in sections I wonder whether we'll be in the first orsecond, " Vi was saying when Billie grasped her arm. 

"Look, " she cried, merriment in her eyes and in her voice. "Here comeAmanda and Eliza. Did you ever see anything so funny--and awful--in yourlife?"

For Amanda and her chum were dressed in their Sunday best--poplin dresseswith a huge, gorgeous flower design that made the pretty, delicate-coloreddresses of the other girls look pale and washed-out by comparison. IfAmanda's and Eliza's desire was to be the most noticeable and talked-ofgirls on the parade, they were certainly going to succeed. The talk hadbegun already!

However, the arrival of the carryall cut short the girls' amusement, andthere was great excitement and noise and giggling as the girls--all whocould get in, that is--clambered in. 

There were about a dozen left over, and these the driver promised to comeback and pick up "in a jiffy. "

"I'm feeling awfully nervous, " Laura confided to Billie. "I neverexpected to be nervous; did you?"

"Yes, I did, " Billie answered truthfully. "I've been nervous ever sincethe boys invited us. It's because it's all so new, I guess. We've neverbeen to anything like this before. "

"I'm frightened to death when I think of meeting Captain Shelling, "Connie leaned across Vi to say. "From what the boys say about him he mustbe simply wonderful. "

"Paul had better look out, " said Laura slyly, and Connie drew backsharply. 

"I think you're mean to tease Connie so, " spoke up Vi. "She doesn't likePaul Martinson any better than the rest of us do, and you know it. "

"Oh, I do, do I----" began Laura, but Billie broke in hastily. 

"Girls, " she cried, "stop your quarreling. Look! We're at the Academy. And--look--look----" Words failed her, and she just stared wonderingly atthe sight that met her eyes. It was true, none of them had ever seenanything like it before. 

Booths of all sorts and colors were distributed over the parade ground, leaving free only the part where the cadets were to march. Girls inbright-colored dresses and boys in trim uniforms were already walkingabout making brilliant patches of color against the green of the paradeground. 

There were some older people, too, fathers and mothers of the boys, butthe groups were mostly made up of young people, gay and excited with theexhilaration of the moment. 

There were girls and matrons in the costume of French peasants wanderingin and out among the visitors, carrying little baskets filled withribbon-tied packages. Some of these packages contained candy, some justlittle foolish things to make the young folks laugh, favors to take awaywith them and remember the day by. 

As the carryall stopped and one after another the girls jumped to theground they were surprised to find that their nervousness, instead ofgrowing less, was getting worse and worse all the time. 

They were standing on the edge of things, wondering just what to do nextand wishing some one would meet them when some one did just that verything. 

Paul Martinson spied the carryall from Three Towers Hall, called to acouple of his friends, and came running down toward the girls, hishandsome face alight with pleasure. 

"Hello!" he said. "We thought you were never coming. Say, you make allthe other girls look like nothing at all. " He was supposed to be talkingto them all, but he was looking straight at Billie. 

But although the other girls noticed it, Billie did not. She was lookingbeyond Paul to where three boys, Teddy in the lead, were bearing downupon them. 

After that the boys soon made their guests feel as if they had never beennervous in their lives, and they entered into the fun with all theirhearts. 

The parade of cadets was the most wonderful part of it all, of course, and the girls stood through it, their hearts beating wildly, a deliciouswave of patriotism thrilling to their finger tips. And when it was overthe girls looked at Teddy and Chet and Ferd and Paul with a new respectthat the boys liked but did not understand at all. 

Several times during the afternoon they came across Eliza and Amanda andtheir escorts--who did not look like bad boys at all. But only once didthe girls try to shove to the front. 

It was when Teddy and Paul had taken Billie and Connie over to the icecream booth for refreshments, the other boys and girls having wanderedoff somewhere by themselves. 

Billie was standing up near the counter when Eliza Dilks deliberatelyelbowed her way in ahead of her. 

Billie began to feel herself getting angry, but before she could sayanything, Teddy spoke over her shoulder. 

"Please serve us next, " he said to the pleasant-faced matron who hadcharge of this part of the refreshments. "Some of these others just camein and belong at the end of the line. "

"Yes, I noticed you were here first, " the woman answered, and handedBillie her ice cream over Eliza's head while Eliza, with a glance atBillie that should have killed her on the spot, turned sullenly andwalked away. 

"Teddy, you're a wonder, " murmured Billie under her breath. "I couldn'thave done it like that myself. "

After this encounter Billie and her party wandered over to the dancingpavilion on the outside of which they met Laura and Vi and their escortsfor the afternoon. 

"Isn't this the dandiest band in the world?" sighed Billie in supremecontent. "Such music would make--would make even Amanda Peabody dancewell. "

"Oh, come, Billie, that's too much!" laughed Teddy, swinging her on tothe floor and giving her what she called a heavenly dance. 

And indeed what could have been better fun than this dance on a smoothfloor so large that it did not seem crowded, to the best of music, with apartner who was a perfect dancer, and--though Billie did not say this toherself--by a girl who was herself as light and graceful a dancer as wason the floor?

All things must end, even the most perfect day in a lifetime, as Vicalled it, and finally the girls had been tucked into the carryall andwere once more back at Three Towers Hall, ready, with a new day, to takeup the routine of school life once more. 

 CHAPTER X

 TWO OF A KIND

Several days had passed, and the girls were at last actually lookingforward to the end of the school term and to the Danvers bungalow onLighthouse Island!

The graduates were running around excitedly in the last preparations forgraduation with the strange look on their young faces that most graduateshave, half exultation at the thought of their success, half grief atbeing forced to leave the school, the friends they had made, the scenesthey had loved. 

Just the day before the one set for graduation Teddy ran over to tell thegirls some wonderful news. He was able to see only Billie, for the othergirls had been busy with their lessons. But that was very satisfactory toTeddy. 

As soon as the lunch gong rang Billie had called the girls together andeagerly she told them what Teddy had told her. 

"Paul Martinson's father gave him a beautiful big motor boat--a cruisingmotor boat, " she told the girls. "Paul got the highest average in hisclass this term, you know, and his father has given him the motor boat asa sort of prize. "

"A motor boat!" cried Vi, breathlessly. "That's some prize. "

"But, Billie, what's that got to do with us?" asked Laura practically. 

"It hasn't much to do with us, " said Billie, her face pink withexcitement. "But it has a great deal to do with the boys. Paul Martinsonhas asked Chet and Ferd and Teddy to go with him and his father on acruise this summer. "

She paused from lack of breath, and the girls looked at her in amazement. 

"My, that's wonderful for them, " said Laura after a minute, adding alittle regretfully: "But I suppose it means that we won't see very muchof the boys this summer. "

"Oh, but that's just what it doesn't mean!" Billie interrupted eagerly. "Don't you see? Why, Teddy said that it would be the easiest thing in theworld to stop off at Lighthouse Island some time and see us girls. "

The girls agreed that it was all perfectly wonderful, that everything wasworking just for them, and that this couldn't possibly help being themost wonderful summer they had ever spent. 

They did not have as much time to think about it as they would haveliked, however, in the busy excited hours that followed. Right after thegraduating exercises all the girls were to start for their homes, exceptthe few who expected to spend the summer at Three Towers Hall. 

Many of the relatives and friends of the graduates were expected, so thatpreparations had to be made for them also. The graduating exercises wereto be held earlier at Boxton Military Academy than at Three Towers Hall, so that the three North Bend boys hoped to get away in time toattend--not the exercises themselves--but the singing on the steps ofThree Towers Hall by all the students of the school, which was one of themost important parts of the ceremony. 

Then, of course, the boys would be able to go with the girls all the wayto North Bend. 

The exercises that had been looked forward to for so long and that hadtaken weeks of preparation to perfect, were over at last. The graduatesrealized with a sinking of the heart that they were no longer students ofThree Towers Hall. 

There was still the mass singing on the steps, to be sure, but that wassimply the last barrier to be crossed before they stepped out on the openroad, leaving Three Towers Hall with its pleasing associations behindthem forever. 

As the girls, in their simple white dresses, gathered on the steps of theschool with the visitors, fathers and mothers and boys in uniform, scattered about on the campus below them, and began to sing in theirclear, girlish voices, there was hardly a dry eye anywhere. 

At last it was over, and the girls rushed upstairs again to change theirdresses for traveling clothes and say a last good-bye to their teachersand to Miss Walters. 

As Billie was hurrying down the corridor, bag in hand, toward the frontdoor a hand was laid gently on her arm, and, turning, she found herselfface to face with Miss Arbuckle. 

"Billie, " said the teacher hurriedly, "I have never thanked you rightlyfor the great favor you did in returning my album to me. But I love youfor it, dear. God bless you, " and before Billie could think of a word tosay in reply, the teacher had turned, slipped through one of the doorsand disappeared. 

Billie stood staring after Miss Arbuckle, lost in thought about her, until Laura and Vi, hurrying up, caught her by the arm and hustled herthrough the front door, down the steps and into the waiting carryall. Thecarryall, by the way, was to make many trips that day, even though agreat many of the girls had automobiles belonging to their relatives orfriends which would take them straight to their destination. 

When the girls had climbed inside, the boys jumped in after them, and thecarryall, having by this time all that it could hold, started down thelong, winding driveway to the road. 

"Good-bye, Three Towers, for a little time, at least, " cried Billie, while she felt a curious lump in her throat. She was terribly afraid shewas going to cry, so she stopped talking and turned to stare out of thewindow. 

"We've had a wonderful time there, " said Laura in, for her, a very sobertone. "Better than we expected. "

"Which is going _some_, " finished Vi slangily, and as slang from Visomehow always made them laugh, they laughed now and felt better for it. 

"Well, we didn't have such a very slow time ourselves, " said Billie'sbrother Chet, his good looking face lighting up with eagerness. 

"And it's something to have made a friend like Paul Martinson, " spoke upFerd Stowing from where he was squeezed in between Laura and Vi. 

"You bet--he's some boy, " added Teddy heartily, forgetting for the momentthat there had been times when he had longed to throw Paul Martinson intothe lake--or some deeper place--because he had talked too much to Billie. 

But here was a beautiful long train ride before him when he could talk toBillie--or any one else--all he liked without having any Paul Martinsontrying to "butt in" all the time. No wonder he was friends with all theworld. 

"Where is Paul? Why didn't he come with us?" asked Billie. 

"He went home with his dad, " Chet explained. "Of course he was crazy tosee his motor boat, and then he had to make arrangements for our cruise. Oh boy, think of cruising around the coast in a motor boat!"

"We wanted Connie to come along with us, " said Billie. "But she said shewould have to go home first. "

"When are you girls going to start for Lighthouse Island?" Ferd askedwith interest. "Have you set any time yet?"

"Not a regular date, " answered Laura. "But it will be in a week or two Ithink. We'll have to have time to get acquainted with the folks again andhave our clothes fixed up----"

"And then Connie's coming on to North Bend, " Vi added eagerly. "And we'llall go together from there to the coast. Oh dear, I can't wait to start. "

"Well, I guess you'll have to, " said Billie, with a sigh, "since wehaven't even reached home yet. "

"That reminds me, " said Laura, turning upon Billie accusingly. "What wereyou doing standing in the hall just now and looking as though you hadlost your last friend when Vi and I came along and woke you up? Come on, 'fess up. "

Billie could not think for a moment what she had been doing, then sheremembered Miss Arbuckle and the rather peculiar way the teacher hadthanked her for the return of the album. 

She told the girls about it, and they listened with interest while theboys looked as if they would like to have known what it was all about. 

"Now I wonder----" Laura was beginning when Billie suddenly caught herhand and pointed to the road. 

"Look!" she cried. "It's Hugo Billings, our sad, faced man again. Oh, girls, I wish we could do something for him. "

She leaned far out the window, smiled and waved her hand to the man, whowas standing moodily by the roadside. At sight of her he straightened upand an answering smile flashed across his thin face, making him look sodifferent that the girls were amazed. 

But when they looked back at him again a few seconds later his smile hadgone and he was staring after them gloomily. 

"Goodness, I never saw a person look so sad in all my life, " murmured Vi, as a turn in the road hid the man from view. 

"Well, I have, " said Billie. "And that's Miss Arbuckle!"

"There must be some sort of mystery about them both, " remarked Laura. "Maybe that man has a whole lot on his mind. "

"And maybe Miss Arbuckle isn't miss at all, " added Vi. "Perhaps she'sMrs. Arbuckle and those children were her own. "

Billie did not reply to this. She heaved something of a sigh. She wasunable to explain it, but she felt very sorry for both the teacher andthe queer man. Would the queer mystery ever be explained?

 CHAPTER XI

 AT HOME

A few hours later a train puffed noisily into the familiar station atNorth Bend, and as it came to a stop three boys and three girls tumbleddown the steps of a car and literally ran into the arms of their waitingfamilies. 

At least, the girls did; the boys considered themselves far toodignified. However, they soon forgot dignity and everything else in anoisy and joyful recital of all the good times they had had during theiryear of absence. 

Of course there had been others from the Military Academy and ThreeTowers Hall on the train whose friends and relatives had also come tomeet them so that it was a very much excited crowd that wound its way upthe ordinarily quiet main street of North Bend. 

Gradually the crowd separated into little groups, each going its separateway to its separate home, and so at last, after many promises between theboys and girls to "call each other up right after dinner, " the Bradleyfamily found itself alone. 

"Well, " said Mr. Bradley, beaming proudly upon his children, who seemedto him to have grown at least twice as large during their absence, andthree times as handsome, "you thought you _would_ come back to your poorold country relations, did you? Your mother and I, " he glanced fondly athis wife, "thought perhaps you had forgotten us by this time. "

"We weren't very much worried, though, " said Mrs. Bradley, looking solovely in her happiness that Billie had to snuggle close to her to makesure she was real. For Mrs. Bradley was really a very beautiful woman, aswell as a very sweet one, and Billie was growing more like her every day. 

"And there's the darling old house, " breathed Billie happily, "lookingjust the same as it did when I left it. Mother dear, and, Dad----" hereshe reached a hand out to her father----"I think I'm the very happiestgirl in all the world. "

For a day or two after that it seemed the best thing in the world just tobe at home again. But the third day the girls began to feel a little bitrestless. They were longing to be off to Lighthouse Island with ConnieDanvers. But they had not heard from Connie yet, and until they did therewas nothing to be done but get things in shape and wait. 

"Suppose she should change her mind, " remarked Laura dolefully on thenoon of the third day. 

"Change her mind!" burst out Vi. She turned enquiringly to Billie. "Doyou think Connie would do anything like that?" she demanded. 

"Certainly not, " was Billie's quick reply. "Connie isn't that kind of agirl. Besides all the arrangements have been made. It is more than likelyshe has been so busy with a number of details that she has simplyforgotten to write or telegraph. "

"Well, anyway, this waiting is getting on my nerves, " declared Laura. 

"Let's do something to make the time pass more quickly, " suggestedBillie. "What do you say to going down town for a bit of shopping?"

"That suits me, " answered Vi. "And we might have some ice-cream sodaswhile we are down there. "

This suited all of them, and soon they were on the way to the shops wherethey spent the best part of the afternoon. 

Then one day, over a week later, when they had begun to think that Conniehad forgotten about them, a telegram came from her, saying that she wasstarting for North Bend the day after the next and she would be in on thesix o'clock train. Would somebody please be there to meet her? Her motherand father had gone on ahead to Lighthouse Island to get everything readyfor the girls when they arrived. 

Would they be there to meet her! Billie was so excited that she couldn'teat her supper, and as soon as she could get away from the table sherushed over to Laura's home to tell her the joyful news. From there thepair called up Vi and invited her to come and celebrate. 

And celebrate they did until it got so late that Mrs. Jordon had gentlybut firmly to put them out, appointing Teddy to escort the girls home. 

"I don't want your mothers to think I've kidnapped you, " she called afterthem as she and Laura, the latter pouting a little, stood in the doorwayto wave good-bye to them. 

"Just the same, I think you might have let them stay a little longer, "protested Laura as they turned to go inside. "It's only ten o'clock, andwe had so much to talk about. "

"I know, " said Mrs. Jordon, putting an arm lightly about her youngdaughter's shoulders. "I was the same way at your age, dear. Mother hadto send away my friends and put me to bed regularly every week or so. Nowit's my turn, that's all. "

Meanwhile Teddy and Billie had dropped Vi at her house and had turneddown the broad, elm-shaded street on which stood the Bradley home. 

For some reason or other they did not talk very much. They did not seemto find anything to say. Billie had never been alone like this with Teddybefore, and she was wondering why it made her tongue-tied. 

"I say, Billie, " began Teddy, clearing his throat and looking down at hersideways--for all the world, as Billie thought, as if she were a mousetrap and might go off any minute--"is it really settled that you aregoing to start day after to-morrow?"

"Yes. And isn't it wonderful?" cried Billie, finding her voice as theblissful prospect opened up before her again. "I've never stayed at theseashore more than a day or two, Teddy, in my life, and now just think ofspending the whole summer there. I can't believe yet that it isn't adream. "

"You want to be careful, " said Teddy, staring straight before him, "ifyou go in bathing at all. There are awfully strong currents around there, you know. "

"Oh, of course I know all about that, " returned Billie, with the air ofone who could not possibly be taught anything. "Connie says her Uncle Tomknows of a darling little inlet where the water's so calm it's almostlike a swimming pool. Of course we'll do most of our swimming there. Oh, Teddy, you ought to see my new bathing suit!" She was rattling onrapturously when Teddy interrupted with a queer sort of question. 

"Who is this Uncle Tom?" he asked, still staring straight ahead. 

"Why, he's Connie's uncle, of course! The keeper of the light onLighthouse Island, " answered Billie, as surprised as if he had asked herwho Abraham Lincoln was. "Connie says he's a darling----"

"Is he married?"

"Why no. That is, I don't think so, " answered Billie, knitting her browsin an effort to think whether Connie had ever said anything on thispoint. She had never even thought to ask if "Uncle Tom" was married. "Why, no, of course he can't be, " she answered herself and Teddy at thesame time. "If he was married he wouldn't be living in that oldlighthouse all alone. And Connie said he did live there all alone. Iremember that. "

She nodded her head with satisfaction, but, strangely enough, Teddy didnot seem to be satisfied at all. He just stalked along beside her in asort of gloomy silence while she glanced up at him now and then with amischievous hint of a laugh dancing about her pretty mouth. 

"Teddy, where are you going?" she asked a minute later, as they reachedthe sidewalk that led to her house and instead of stopping Teddy stalkedstraight on. "I don't live down at the corner you know. "

Teddy turned about with a sort of sheepish grin and rejoined her. 

"I was just thinking, " he said as they turned up the walk together. 

"No wonder you went past, " said Billie mischievously. Then as they pausedat the foot of the steps she looked up at him with an imp of laughtershowing all the dimples about her mouth. "What were you thinking so hardabout, Teddy?" she dared him. 

"I was thinking, " said Teddy, clearing his throat and looking anywherebut at Billie, "that I wouldn't mind going down to Lighthouse Islandmyself!"

Then he fled, leaving Billie to get into the house as best she could. ButBillie did not mind. She was chuckling to herself and thinking how funnyand foolish and--yes--awfully nice Teddy could be--sometimes. 

 CHAPTER XII

 PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

Chet and Billie were at the train to meet Connie when she arrived, for ithad been decided almost without argument that Connie would spend her onenight in North Bend with the Bradleys. 

Billie was in a fever of excitement even before the stream of peoplebegan to pour from the train, and when she saw Connie she made a wilddash for her that very nearly bowled over a couple of unfortunate men whowere in the path. 

"You darling!" cried Billie, hugging her friend rapturously. "Now I knowit's all true. I was just scared to death for fear something would happenand you couldn't get here. "

Poor Chet tried his best to edge his way in and speak a word to Connie onhis own account--for Chet liked Connie Danvers very much--but he couldnot do any more than shake hands with her over Billie's shoulder andmumble one or two words which neither of the girls understood. 

"They won't speak to you, " he grumbled to himself as he brought up therear with Connie's suitcase and a hat box, "and the only time they knowyou're alive is when they want a baggage truck or something. Catch meever coming to meet one of Billie's friends again. "

He was relieved when Vi and Laura came running up all flushed with theirhurry to "spill over Connie" some more, as Chet disgustedly put it and hehad a chance to slip down a side street and "beat it" for home. 

None of the girls even noticed that Chet had gone; a fact which, had heknown it, would have made the boy still more disgusted with girls andeverything about them. 

"Connie, you do look sweet, " Vi cried, as they all four tried to walkabreast along a sidewalk that was not very wide--the result being thatLaura, who was on the end, walked half the time on the curb and the restof the time in the gutter. "Is that a new hat? And, oh, I know you've gota new dress!"

"Well I'm not the only one who looks nice, " said Connie, who, in spite ofher prettiness, was very modest. 

"Oh, we are a mess, " said Laura, balancing nicely between the curb andthe gutter. "We've got on our oldest dresses because everything we own ispacked except the things we're going to wear to-morrow. "

"To-morrow!" That was the magic word that unlocked the gates and letthrough a flood of conversation consisting of excited questions andanswers and joyful exclamations that lasted until they reached Billie'shouse. 

Billie asked Laura and Vi in, but they reluctantly refused, saying thattheir mothers had expressly ordered them to be home that day in time fordinner. 

"We can't come over to-night, " Vi called back to them, as she and Laurastarted on arm in arm. "Mother says I have to get to bed early. "

"But we'll see you the first thing in the morning, " added Laura. "Thevery first thing, remember that!"

"I'll say so, " Billie sang back gayly, and then led her guest up theporch steps and into the house, where her mother was waiting to receivethem. Mrs. Bradley and Connie fell in love with each other at firstsight--which was the last thing needed to make Billie absolutely happy. 

They went to bed early that night, the two girls snuggled in Billie'spretty bird's-eye maple bed in Billie's pretty bird's-eye maple room. 

They went to bed, but neither of the girls had either the desire or theintention of going to sleep. They felt as if they never wanted to go tosleep again. 

And so they talked. They talked of the next day and the vacation beforethem until they could not think of another thing to say about it. 

Then they talked of the things that had happened at Three Towers Hall--ofthe "Dill Pickles" and of Amanda Peabody and Eliza Dilks. And last, butnot least, they talked in hushed tones of the mysterious little hut inthe woods and the strange man who lived there and wove fern baskets andother things for a living. 

By the time they had reached Miss Arbuckle and the finding of her albumin the woods they were feeling delightfully thrilly and farther away fromsleep than ever. 

"It really must be a mystery, " Connie was saying, snuggling deeper intothe covers and staring at Billie's pretty face and tousled hair weirdlyillumined by the pale moonlight that sifted through the window, whenthere came a tap on the door. And right upon the tap came Mrs. Bradley, wearing a loose robe that made her look mysteriously lovely in the dimlight. She sat down on the edge of the bed and regarded the girlssmilingly. 

"It's twelve o'clock, " she said, and they stared at her unbelievingly. "Twelve o'clock, " she repeated relentlessly, "and time for girls who haveto be up early in the morning to be asleep. "

"But we're not sleepy, " protested Billie. 

"Not a bit, " added Connie. 

Mrs. Bradley rose decidedly. 

"Then it's time you were, " she said, adding, with a little laugh: "If Ihear a sound in here ten minutes from now, I'm coming after you with abroomstick. Remember, " she added, laughing back at them from the doorway, "I give you just ten minutes. "

"I think you've got just the loveliest mother, " sighed Connie, as sheturned over obediently with her back to Billie; "but I'm sure I never cango to sleep. "

Five minutes passed, and the girls who could "never go to sleep, " felttheir eyelids grow heavy and a delicious drowsiness steal over them. OnceConnie roused herself enough to say sleepily: "We'll just have to formthat Detective Club, Billie, you know. "

"Yes, " said Billie, already half in the land of dreams. "Whenwe--have--the time--good night, Connie----"

"Good night, Bil-lie----. "

And the next they knew it was morning! And such a glorious morning hadnever dawned before--of that they were sure. 

Fat Deborah, nicknamed "Debbie, " who had been the cook in the Bradleyfamily for years, and who thought that gave her the right to tell thewhole family what was expected of them, from Billie up to Mr. Bradleyhimself, cooked them a breakfast of ham and eggs and cereal and toast andcorn bread, grumbling to herself all the time. 

For Debbie did not approve at all of "the young folks scamperin' off jes'so soon as dey gets back home agin. "

"Scand'lous, I calls it, " Debbie confided to the pan of corn bread shewas busily cutting into golden brown pieces. "Don' know what Miz Bradley'lows she's thinkin' on, nohow. But these am scand'lous days--they shois. " Whereupon she put on a white apron and her dignity and marched intothe dining room. 

Yet in spite of her disapproval, Debbie gave the young "scalawags" thebest breakfast she could make, and from the way the young "scalawags" didjustice to it, one might have thought they did not expect to get any moreto eat for a week at least. 

Then they went upstairs to pack bags with the last minute things. Billieand Connie went over the whole list backward to be sure they had notforgotten a toothbrush "or something. " To them it was a very importantlist. 

And when everything was done and their hats and coats on, they found totheir dismay that they still had three-quarters of an hour to wait forthe train. 

"Goodness, why did Mother call us so early!" wailed Billie, sitting downon her suitcase and staring at Connie. "I can do anything but wait. Butthat I just can't do!"

"Couldn't we go over and call for Laura and Vi?" Connie suggested. 

"My, they won't be up yet, " said Billie hysterically, then chuckled atConnie's look of dismay. "I didn't mean quite that, " she said. "But Vi isalways late. "

"Then I know we'd better go over!" said Connie, going over and giving herhat one last little pat before the mirror. 

But Billie had walked over to the window, and now she called outexcitedly. 

"Here they come now, " she reported, adding with a chuckle: "And there'spoor Teddy in the rear carrying two suitcases and something that lookslike a lunch box. Come on, let's go down. "

And down they went, taking two steps at a time. Billie opened the doorjust as the two girls and Teddy came up the steps. Chet, who had run out, attracted by the noise, and was looking over Billie's shoulder, caughtsight of Teddy and the load he carried and emitted a whoop of joy. 

"Hello, old moving van!" he called. "So they've got you doing it too, have they?"

Teddie set his load down on the steps and mopped his perspiring brow. 

"Yes. And you'd better get busy yourself, " he retorted, adding as Chetseemed about to protest: "I've got some good news. Get your duds and I'lltell it to you on the way to the station. "

That got Chet started in a hurry, and a few minutes later the young folkshad said a loving good-bye to Mr. And Mrs. Bradley, and were off, bag andbaggage, for the station. 

The girls' trunks had been sent down the day before, so that all they hadto do was to check them at the station. Connie, of course, had had hertrunk checked right through to the station nearest their destination. 

Chet clamored for Teddy's news, and excitedly Teddy showed him the letterfrom Paul Martinson saying that the "old boat" would be ready to sail ina few days. 

"Whoop!" cried Chet joyfully, trying to wave a suitcase in the air andnearly dropping it on his toe instead. "Say, girls, you may see us evenbefore you hoped to. "

"Hoped to!" sniffed Laura. "Don't you hate yourself?"

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Billie, her eyes shining. "It will be a lark tohave you boys drop in on us some morning when we don't expect you. Oh, it's just grand! We'll be sure to be watching for all of you. "

The rejoicing was cut short by the arrival of the train a few minuteslater. The girls scurried excitedly on board, the boys handing in theirsuitcases after them. 

As the train started to move Teddy ran along the platform with it andsuddenly thrust something into Billie's hand. 

"Look out for those currents, " he said. "They're awfully dangerous. "

As he dropped back to join Chet, Billie looked down at the thing in herhand. It was a package of chocolate. 

 CHAPTER XIII

 PLEASURE DRAWS NEAR

As she looked, a flush stole over Billie's face and she tried hastily tohide the chocolate in the pocket of her suit before the girls could seeit. 

She would have succeeded if Vi had not accidentally touched her elbow atthat moment, knocking the package of chocolate from her hand and into theaisle of the car where it lay, face up, accusingly. 

Billie stretched out an eager hand for it, but Laura was just before her. 

"Aha!" she cried triumphantly, waving the little brown rectangle aloft. "Candy! Where'd you get it, Billie Bradley?" She turned swiftly uponBillie, whose face was the color of a particularly gorgeous beet. Vi andConnie looked on delightedly. 

"Goodness! anybody would think it was a crime to have candy, " criedBillie indignantly. "You give it to me, Laura, or----" She made a grabfor her property, but Laura snatched it back out of her reach. 

"No, you don't, " she said, putting her hands behind her determinedly. "Not till you tell us where you got it. "

"Well I'm not going to, " said Billie crossly. "It's none of yourbusiness. " And she turned away and looked steadily out of the window. 

"Give it back to her, Laura, " begged Vi. "It isn't fair to tease her so. "

"Well then, she shouldn't tease so beautifully, " Laura retorted, as, relenting, she slipped Teddy's gift back into Billie's pocket. 

At that moment they were startled by a fearful racket--a sound as if allthe South Sea pirates that had ever been born had gathered together andwere all quarreling at once. 

There was a great craning of necks as startled passengers tried to seewhat it was all about and the girls fairly jumped from their seats--forthe racket sounded in their very ears. 

Across the aisle from them there was a parrot--a great green and redparrot that at that moment was hanging by its claws to the roof of itscage and was still emitting the raucous squawks that sounded like thetalking of a hundred pirates all rolled into one. 

An elderly woman who looked as if she might be a spinster of the typegenerally known as "old maid" was doing her best to silence the birdwhile she fished wildly in her bag for something. 

She found what she was looking for--a heavy black cloth, and, with a sighof relief, flung it across the cage. Immediately the parrot's uproarsubsided to a muttering and a moment later stopped altogether. 

Passengers who had craned their necks dropped back in their seatschuckling, picked up magazines or papers or whatever they had beenreading where they had left off, and peace settled over the car again. For all save the girls, that is. 

For the elderly woman--who most certainly _was_ an old maid--had beenterribly embarrassed over the bird's outbreak and began explaining to thegirls how she happened to have it in her possession, what troubles shehad already had with it, how glad she would be when she delivered thebird to her brother, who was its rightful owner, and so on until thegirls became desperate enough to throw things at her. 

"Isn't there some way we can stop her!" whispered Vi in Connie's ear, while Billie and Laura were listening to the woman's chatter with forcedsmiles and polite "yeses and nos. " "If I have to listen to that voiceanother minute I'll scream--I know I shall. "

"The only way to stop her that I can think of, " Connie whispered back, "would be to take the cover off the parrot's cage. He would drown outmost anybody. "

This kept up practically all morning with the owner of the parrot talkingon tirelessly and the girls trying to listen politely until lunch timecame. 

Thankfully they made their way through the swaying train to the diningcar and sat themselves gratefully down at a little table set for four. 

"Thank goodness we've escaped, " sighed Billie, as her eyes wanderedeagerly down the bill of fare, for Billie was very hungry. "What will youhave, girls? I could eat everything on the card without stopping tobreathe. "

When they returned to their car after lunch they found to their reliefthat the talkative old woman was gathering up her things as if about tochange cars at the junction--which was the next stop. 

She did get out at the junction, parrot and all, and the girls fairlyhugged each other in their delight. 

"Poor old thing, " said Billie as the train swung out from the station andthe parrot cage disappeared. "I wonder, " she added after a moment, "ifI'll ever get like that. "

"You!" scoffed Vi, with a fond glance at Billie's lovely face. "Yes, youlook a lot like an old maid. "

"And didn't Teddy give her candy this morning?" added Laura, with awicked glance at Billie, who said not a word, but stared steadily out ofthe window. 

They bought magazines and tried to read them, but finally gave up theattempt. What was the use of reading about other people's adventures whena far more thrilling one was in store for them at Lighthouse Island?

Billie said something like this, but Connie shook her head doubtfully. 

"I don't know how we're going to have any adventures, " she said. "Thereisn't so very much to do besides swimming and rowing in Uncle Tom'srowboat----"

"Goodness, isn't that enough?" said Billie, turning on her. "Why, justbeing at the seashore is an adventure. Just think, I've never in my lifebeen inside a really truly lighthouse. It's going to be just wonderful, Connie. "

"And aren't the boys coming in their motor boat, too?" added Vi eagerly. "Why, they will probably take us for a sail around the point andeverything. Connie, how can you say we're not going to have anyadventures?"

Connie laughed. 

"All right, " she said. "Don't shoot. I'll take it all back. And there'sUncle Tom's clam chowder, " she added. "People come from all over just totaste it. "

"What time is it, Laura?" asked Billie, turning from the window suddenlyand tapping nervously on the window sill. "It won't take us very muchlonger to get there, will it?"

"Only three hours, " answered Laura, consulting her wrist watch. 

"Only three hours!" groaned Billie. "And I thought we were nearly there. "

There was silence for a little while after that while the girls took uptheir magazines again and turned the pages listlessly. At the end ofanother half hour they gave up the attempt entirely and leaned theirheads wearily against the backs of the seats, fixing their eyes upon theever-changing scenery that fled past them. 

"Are we going to form our Detective Club?" asked Connie suddenly out ofthe silence. 

The girls stared at her a minute as if she had roused them out of sleep. 

"For goodness sake, what made you think of that now?" asked Laura alittle peevishly. "I'm so tired I don't want to form clubs or anythingelse. All I want is to get out somewhere where I can stretch my legs, getsome supper, and go to bed. I'm dead. "

"You're making lots of noise for a dead one, " chuckled Billie, and Lauramade a face at her. 

"But no one's answered my question, " broke in Connie plaintively. "Ithought you girls loved mysteries and things. "

"Well, who says we don't?" cried Laura. "Just show me a good live mysteryand I'll forget I'm all tied up in knots and everything. "

"Just listen to her!" exclaimed Connie indignantly. "Do you mean to sayyou've forgotten that we have a mystery already?"

"Oh--that, " said Laura slowly, while a light began to dawn. "Yes, I didforget about it; we've been so busy getting ready and everything. "

"Well, I haven't forgotten about it, " said Billie, sitting up suddenly, while her cheeks began to glow pink. "And the more I think about it, thefunnier it seems to me. "

"What?" asked Vi. 

"Oh, everything, " answered Billie, getting more excited as she spoke. "Hugo Billings in the first place. And then finding Miss Arbuckle's albumin the woods. And the children. Girls, I'm just sure they aremysteries--and real ones, too. "

 CHAPTER XIV

 THE LIGHT ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND

Laura looked faintly excited for a minute, then she leaned back wearilyin her seat again. 

"I'm just as sure as you are, Billie, that there's something funny aboutit, " she said. "But if we really had wanted to solve the mystery, weshould have stayed at Three Towers. The first thing they do in detectivestories is to shadow the people they suspect. And how can we do that, I'dlike to know, when we're running straight away from them?"

This was very good reasoning. Even Billie and Connie had to admit that, and they began to look worried. 

"Perhaps I shouldn't have asked you girls to visit me. Then you mighthave stayed at Three Towers for the summer and solved the mystery. NowI've spoiled all the fun----"

"Connie! don't be such an absolute goose, " cried Billie, putting a handover Connie's mouth. "Do you suppose we'd have missed this for anything?"

"Anyway, " added Vi hopefully, "we may find some more mysteries onLighthouse Island. "

"Humph, " grumbled Laura, who was feeling tired and cross, "you talk as ifmysteries were just hanging around loose begging to be found. "

"Well, I think maybe we'll manage to enjoy ourselves, even withoutmysteries, " said Billie gayly. Nevertheless, she could not help thinkingto herself: "Oh, dear, I do wish there was some way I could find outabout Miss Arbuckle and those lovely children and poor lonely, sad HugoBillings. I should like to help if I only knew how!"

"Billie, wake up! Wake up--it's time to get off!"

She must have been very sound asleep because it was several secondsbefore she fought her way through a sea of unconsciousness and openedheavy eyes upon a scene of confusion. 

"What's the matter?" she asked sleepily, but some one, she thought it wasLaura, shook her impatiently, and some one else--she was wide awakeenough now to be sure this was Vi--put a hat on her head and pushed it sofar over her eyes that she temporarily went blind again. 

"For goodness sake, can't you put it on straight?" she demandedindignantly, pushing the hat back where it belonged. "What do you thinkyou're doing anyway?"

A little anger was the best thing that could have come to Billie. It wasabout the only thing in the world that would have gotten her wide awakejust then. And it was very necessary that she should be wide awake, forthe train was just drawing into the station where they were to get off totake the boat to Lighthouse Island. 

She took the bag thrust into her hands by Laura, and the girls hurriedout into the aisle that was crowded with people. A minute more, and theyfound themselves on a platform down which people hurried and portersrolled their baggage trucks and where every one seemed intent upon makingas much noise as possible. 

Billie and Laura and Vi felt very much bewildered, for they had neverdone any traveling except in the company of some older person; but with aconfidence that surprised them, Connie took command of the situation. ForConnie had traveled this route several times, and everything about it wasfamiliar to her. 

"Give me your trunk checks, " she ordered, adding, as the girls obedientlyfumbled in their pocketbooks: "We'll have to hustle if we want to get ourtrunks straightened out and get on board ourselves before the boatstarts. What's the matter, Vi, you haven't lost your check, have you?"

For one terrible minute Vi had been afraid she had done just this, butnow, with a sigh of relief, she produced the check and handed it over toConnie. 

"My, but that was a narrow escape, " she murmured, as they hurried downthe crowded platform. 

The boat that plied from the mainland to Lighthouse Island and one or twomore small islands scattered about near the coast was a small but tidylittle vessel that was really capable of better speed than most peoplegave her credit for. She was painted a sort of dingy white, and largeblack letters along her bow proclaimed her to be none other than the_Mary Ann_. 

And now as the girls, with several other passengers, stepped on board andfelt the cool breeze upon their faces they breathed deep of the salty airand gazed wonderingly out over the majestic ocean rolling on and on inunbroken swells toward the distant horizon. 

Gone was all the fatigue of the long train ride. They forgot that theirlungs were full of soft coal dirt, that their hands were grimy, and theirfaces, too. They were completely under the spell of that great, mysterious tyrant--the ocean. 

"Isn't this grand!"

"Just smell the salt air!"

"Makes you feel braced up already, " came from Billie, who had beenfilling her lungs to the utmost. "Oh, girls! I'm just crazy to jump inand have a swim. "

"I'm with you on that, " broke out Vi. "Oh, I'm sure we're going to havejust the best times ever!"

There was a fair-sized crowd to get aboard, made up partly of natives andpartly of city folks. The passengers were followed by a number of trunksand a small amount of freight. 

"Evidently we're not the only ones to take this trip, " remarked Billie, as she noted the people coming on board the _Mary Ann_. 

"A number of these people must live on the islands the year around, " saidLaura. 

"My, how lonely it must be on this coast during the winter months, " saidBillie. "Think of being out on one of those islands in a howlingsnowstorm!"

"I wonder how they get anything to eat during those times?" questionedVi. 

"I presume they keep stuff on hand, " answered Billie. 

With a sharp toot of her whistle the boat moved out from the dock, madeher way carefully among the numerous other craft in the harbor, andfinally nosed her way out into the water of the channel. 

"O--oh, " breathed Vi, softly. "It's even more wonderful than I thought itwould be. I'd like to go sailing on and on like this forever. "

"Well, I wouldn't, " said Laura practically. "Not without any supper. I'mgetting a perfectly awful appetite. "

"It will be worse than that after you've been here a little while, "laughed Connie. "Mother says that it seems as if she never can give meenough to eat when we come out to the seashore, so she has given uptrying. "

"Your poor mother!" said Billie dolefully. "And now she has four of us!"

"I know, " chuckled Connie. "Mother was worrying a little about that--asto how she could keep four famished wolves fed at one time. But Uncle Tomsaid he'd help her out. "

"Your Uncle Tom, " Vi repeated wonderingly. "Can he cook?"

"Of course, " said Connie, looking at her as if she had asked if the worldwas square. "Didn't I tell you about his clam chowder?"

"Oh, " said Vi thoughtfully, while something within her began to cry outfor a sample of that clam chowder. "Oh yes, I remember. "

"Connie, you're cruel, " moaned Laura. "Can't you talk of somethingbesides clam chowder when you know I'm starving to death? Goodness, I canalmost smell it. "

"That's the clams you smell, " chuckled Connie. "They always have some onboard the _Mary Ann_ to sell to the islanders--if they haven't the senseto catch them themselves. We never need to buy any, " she added, proudly. "Uncle Tom keeps us supplied with all we want. Look!" she cried suddenly, pointing to a small island which loomed directly ahead of them, lookingin the grey mist of evening like only a darker shadow against theshifting background. "That's our island--see? And there's the light, " sheadded, as a sudden beacon flashed out at them, sending a ruddy light outover the dark water. 

"Oh, isn't it beautiful!" cried Billie rapturously. "Just think what itmust mean to the ships out at sea--that friendly light, beckoning tothem----"

"No, it doesn't--beckon, I mean, " said Connie decidedly. "That's justwhat it isn't for. It's to warn them to keep away or they'll be sorry. "

"Is there so much danger?" asked Laura eagerly. 

"I should say there is, " Connie answered gravely. "In a storm especially. You see, the water is very shallow around here and if a big ship runs intoo close to shore she's apt to get on a shoal. That isn't so bad inclear weather--although a ship did get stuck on the shoal here not sovery long ago and she was pretty much damaged when they got her off. Butin a storm----"

"Yes, " cried Billie impatiently. 

"Why, Uncle Tom says, " Connie was very serious, "that if a ship weredriven upon the shoal in a gale--and we have terrible storms aroundhere--it would probably come with such force that its bottom would bepretty nearly crushed in and the people on board might die before any onecould get out there to rescue them. "

"Oh, Connie, how dreadful!" cried Vi. Laura and Billie only stared at thelighthouse tower as though fascinated, while the little boat camesteadily nearer to it. 

"Has anything like that ever happened here, Connie?" asked Laura in anawed voice. 

"No, " said Connie. "There was a terrible wreck here a long timeago--before they built the lighthouse. But Uncle Tom says no one willever know just how many lives have been saved because of the good oldlight. To hear him talk to it you would think it was alive. "

"It is!" cried Billie, pointing excitedly as the great white globe thatheld the light swung slowly around toward them. "Didn't you see that? Itwinked at us!"

 CHAPTER XV

 CONNIE'S MOTHER

The steamer scraped against the dock and the girls straightened theirhats, picked up their suitcases, and started down the narrow windingstairs that led to the lower deck. 

Connie led the way as she had done ever since they had left North Bend. She scrambled quickly out upon the pier and the chums, following moreslowly, were in time to see Connie rapturously embrace first a lady andthen a gentleman standing near by. 

"Well, well!" a deep masculine voice was saying, "it seems mighty good tosee our girl again. But where are the others?"

Connie turned eagerly to the girls. 

"This is my mother and father, Billie and Laura and Vi, " she said, with aproud wave of her hand toward her smiling parents, who came forward andgreeted the girls cordially. 

"It's too dark to see your faces, " Mrs. Danvers said. "But Connie hasdescribed you to us so many times that it isn't at all necessary. I'msure I know just exactly what you look like. "

"Oh, but they're three times as nice as anything I've said about them, "Connie was protesting when her father, who had been conversing with thecaptain of the _Mary Ann_, stepped up to them. 

"If you young ladies will give me your checks, " he said--and the girlsknew they were going to love him because his voice sounded so kind--"I'llattend to your trunks and you can go on up to the house. "

The girls produced their checks, Mr. Danvers went back to the captain, and Mrs. Danvers and the girls started off in high spirits toward thebungalow. 

"Are you very tired?" Mrs. Danvers asked them, and the turn of her headas she looked at them made the girls think of some pert, plump, cheerylittle robin. 

It was really getting very dark, and the girls could not make out whatshe looked like, but they could see that she was small and graceful andher voice--well, her voice had a gay lilt that made one want to laugheven though all she said was "what a pleasant day it is. " No wonder, withthat father and mother, Connie was such a darling. 

"Why, no, we're not very tired, " Billie said in answer to Mrs. Danvers'question. "We were on the train, but the minute we got on board the boatwe seemed to forget all about it. It's this beautiful salt air, Isuppose, " and she sniffed happily at the soft, salt-laden breeze thatcame wandering up from the sea. 

"Of course it's the air, " agreed Mrs. Danvers gayly. "The air does allsorts of wonderful things to us. You just wait a few days and see. "

They were walking along a rough boardwalk set quite a way back from thewater's edge so that there was a white stretch of beach between it andthe first thin line of lapping waves. 

"Why, look at the boardwalk!" cried Laura, in wonder. 

"You didn't say anything about a boardwalk down here, Connie, " added Vi. "You're really right up to date, aren't you?"

"What did you suppose?" put in Billie. "That Lighthouse Island was in thebackwoods and had no improvements?" And she laughed gayly. 

"Well, I know that very few of the islands on this coast haveboardwalks, " defended Laura. "Most of them have the roughest kind ofstony paths. "

"You are right, there, " said Connie. "I remember only too well when I wason Chatter Island we had to climb over the rocks all the way, and one dayI twisted my ankle most dreadfully--so badly, in fact, that I was laid upfor three days while all the other girls were having the best time ever. "

"I know what I'd do on a real dark night, " remarked Billie dryly. "If Icouldn't see where I was stepping, I'd take my chances and walk in thesand. "

"I do that myself sometimes, " answered Connie. 

Several bungalows dotted the rather barren landscape, for LighthouseIsland was an ideal spot for a summer home--that is if one liked theseashore. 

But the girls were not so much interested in what was on the island asthey were in what was beyond it. The ocean--the great dark, mysteriousocean drew their eyes irresistibly and set their minds to wandering. Andas the days passed they were to feel the spell of it more and more. 

"Here we are, " Mrs. Danvers said cheerily, and with an effort the girlsbrought their thoughts back to the present. 

Mrs. Danvers had turned from the main boardwalk down another that led toa bungalow whose every window was cheerfully and invitingly lighted. 

"Be careful where you step, " Mrs. Danvers called back to them, and thegirls saw that she was picking her steps very carefully. "There are twoor three boards missing, and I can't get Mr. Danvers to do the repairing. He spends whole days, " she added, turning plaintively to Connie, "up inthat old lighthouse just talking to your Uncle Tom. I don't know whetherit's your Uncle Tom's conversation he finds so fascinating or his clamchowder. "

She opened the door as she spoke and the girls had a vision of acomfortable, gayly lighted room all wicker chairs and chintz cushions andchintz hangings, a room pretty and cozy, a room that seemed to bebeckoning and inviting the girls to come in and make themselves at home. 

Which they did--immediately. All except Billie, who stepped back a momentand gazed off through the dusk to the light in the lighthouse towerglowing its warning to the travelers over the dark highways of the sea. 

"I love it, " she said, surprising herself by her fervor. "It looks sobright and brave and lonely. "

Then she stepped in after the others and almost ran into Connie, who wascoming back to get her. 

"What were you doing all by yourself out there in the dark?" she askedaccusingly. "We thought you had run away or something. "

"Goodness, where would I run to?" asked Billie, as they went upstairstogether arm in arm. "There's no place to run except into the ocean, andI'd rather wait for that till I have my bathing suit on. "

They found Mrs. Danvers and Laura and Vi in a large room as pretty andcomfortable as the room downstairs, though not quite so elaborate. Lauraand Vi were busily engaged in making themselves entirely at home. 

Laura had her hat off and was fixing her hair in front of a mirror and Viwas hanging up her coat in the closet. 

"You see there's a connecting door between these two rooms, " Mrs. Danverssaid in her pleasant voice; "so that you girls can feel almost as if youwere in one room. "

Then as she caught sight of Billie and Connie in the doorway she beckonedto them and disappeared into the next room, and with a laughing word toLaura and Vi they followed her. 

This was the room that she and Connie were to occupy, Billie found, andshe looked about her at the handsome mahogany furniture and daintydressing table fixings with interest. 

But she was even more interested in seeing what Connie's mother lookedlike in the light. She was not a bit disappointed, for Mrs. Danvers'looks entirely matched her voice. 

Her eyes were a wide laughing hazel, set far apart and fringed with darklashes. Her hair, for she had not worn a hat, was a soft brown, and thenight wind had whipped a pretty color into her face. 

"She is awfully pretty. Not as pretty as my mother, " Billie thoughtloyally, "but awfully pretty just the same. "

Billie must have been staring more than she knew, for suddenly Mrs. Danvers--it seemed absurd to call her "Mrs. " she looked so like agirl--turned upon her and took her laughingly by the shoulders. 

"So you're Billie Bradley, " she said, her hazel eyes searching Billie'sbrown ones. "Connie said you were the most popular girl at Three Towersand that all the girls loved you. I can't say that I blame them, mydear, " giving Billie's flushed cheek a gay little pat. "I'm not very surebut what I may do it myself. Now here----" And she went on to givedirections while Billie followed her with wondering eyes. How could awoman who was old enough to be Connie's mother look so absolutely andentirely like a girl of twenty? She was not even dignified like most ofthe mothers Billie knew--she did not even try to be. Connie treated heras she would an older and much loved sister. One only needed to be withthem three minutes to see that mother and daughter adored each other andwere the very best chums in the world. And right then and there Billiebegan adoring too. 

"Now I'll run downstairs and get something on the table for you girls toeat, for I know you must be starving, " said Mrs. Danvers, or rather"Connie's mother, " as Billie called her from that day on. "Don't stop tofix up, girls, for there won't be a soul here to-night but Daddy andme--and we don't care. Hurry now. If you are not downstairs by the time Ihave dinner on the table I'll eat it all myself, every bit. " With thatshe was gone into the next room, leaving a trail of laughter behind herthat made Billie's heart laugh in sympathy. 

"Connie, " she said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and regarding herchum soberly as she opened her bag and drew out a brush and comb, "I'msimply crazy about your mother. She's so young and pretty and--and--happy. Does she ever do anything but laugh?"

"Not often, " said Connie, adding with a little chuckle: "But when shedoes stop laughing you'd better look out for 'breakers ahead, ' as UncleTom says. Mother's French you know, and she has a temper--about once ayear. But for goodness sake, stop talking, Billie, and get ready. You'vegot a patch of dirt under one eye. What's that I smell? It's clamchowder!"

"Clam chowder, " repeated Billie weakly. "Are you sure it's clam chowder, Connie?"

"Yes, clam chowder, " repeated Connie firmly. 

 CHAPTER XVI

 CLAM CHOWDER AND SALT AIR

Connie was right, gloriously right. It was clam chowder--the kind of clamchowder one dreams about--come true. Uncle Tom had made it just that veryafternoon and had brought it over in a huge bucket that was always usedfor such occasions. 

The girls ate and ate and ate and then ate some more until they werecompletely satisfied with life and were feeling contented andbeautifully, wonderfully drowsy. 

Connie's mother had served them other things beside clam chowder. Therewere pork chops and apple sauce, there were muffins and honey and applepie, and when they had finished, the once full table looked as if a swarmof locusts had been at it. 

And all the time Connie's mother had watched them with wide, delightedeyes and Connie's father had lounged back in his chair, smoking a cigarand looking on with an indulgent smile. 

Mr. Danvers, with the aid of a couple of men from the dock, had got thegirls' trunks up to the house and into the rooms they were going tooccupy for the summer. 

And now, having done his duty, he had sauntered into the dining room toget acquainted with the girls and smoke a cigar. He and Mrs. Danvers hadhad their dinner earlier, because, as Mrs. Danvers laughingly explained, "she had been famished and could not wait, " so that now there was nothingto do but watch the girls enjoy themselves. 

The dining room was like all the other rooms in the cottage, cheerful andcozy and tastefully furnished, and as the girls looked about them happilythey felt that they must have known the house and its owners all theirlives. 

Mr. Danvers was many years older than his wife, and he looked even olderthan he was. But he was a handsome man, and the touch of gray in the hairat his temples only made him look more distinguished. He adored his wife, and his eyes followed her wherever she went. 

"As if any one could blame him for that, " thought Billie, as Mrs. Danversslipped a second piece of apple pie on her plate. 

"My gracious! do you expect me to eat a second piece of pie?" criedBillie, glancing up at Mrs. Danvers, with a smile. 

"A second piece of pie isn't very much for a young girl with a healthyappetite, " returned the lady of the bungalow. 

"You give her too much pie, and she'll be dreaming of all sorts ofthings, " remonstrated Vi. 

"Why, Vi! To talk that way when you are eating a second piece yourself!"broke in Laura. 

"If we dream, perhaps we'll all dream together, so what's thedifference?" remarked Billie; and at this there was a laugh in which evenMr. Danvers joined. 

After dinner Connie's mother sent them up to their rooms, saying that sheknew they must be tired to death and should go to bed early so they couldget up to see the sun rise the next morning. 

They did not protest very much, for they were tired and the prospect ofbed was very alluring. To-morrow--well, to-morrow they would goexploring. Perhaps they might even be permitted to visit the lighthouseand Uncle Tom. Speaking of Uncle Tom made Billie think of the clamchowder, and although she could not have eaten another scrap if she hadtried, her mouth watered at the memory. 

The girls left the connecting door open between the two rooms so thatthey could talk to each other if they wanted to, but they did not do verymuch talking that night. 

"Oh, this feels good, " sighed Billie, as Connie turned down the coversand she crawled thankfully into bed. "I didn't know I was so awfullytired. And that dinner! Connie, does your mother always serve dinnerslike that?"

"Yes, " said Connie, flinging her thick braid over her shoulder andcrossing the room to turn out the light. "Mother's an awfully good cook, and although we have a maid to do the heavy work Mother does all thecooking herself. "

"Well, " said Billie, snuggling down under the covers luxuriously asConnie joined her, "I'm mighty glad I came. "

"Even if we don't solve any mysteries?" asked Connie, a trifle wistfully. 

Billie turned over and tried to see her face, a thing impossible, ofcourse, in the dark. 

"What a foolish thing to say, " she cried. "I'll shake you, ConnieDanvers, if you ever say a thing like that again. We could have stayed atThree Towers if we had wanted to solve mysteries more than we wanted tocome here, couldn't we?"

"Y--yes, " said Connie doubtfully. "Only, of course, we didn't knowanything about the mystery when I asked you to come here. So you couldn'thave backed out very well, even if you had wanted to. "

Billie turned over impatiently and caught Connie by the shoulder. 

"Connie Danvers!" she cried, "now I know you want to be shaken. Are youreally trying to say that we didn't want to come with you and only did itto please you?"

"No, " said Connie, with a shake of her head. "Of course I didn't meanjust that. Just the same, " she added longingly, "I am awfully anxious tofind out about Miss Arbuckle and her album and--that strangeman--everything. "

It was then that a horrible thought struck Billie, and it was so horriblethat it sat her straight up in bed. 

"Connie--I just thought--could it--were you sorry you asked us to come?"she stammered. "Would you rather have stayed at Three Towers yourself?"

For a minute there was silence and Billie knew that Connie was staringthrough the dark at her in absolute amazement. 

"You perfectly silly goose, " said Connie then, her bewilderment changingto indignation. "Now I know who wants to be shaken. Lie down here, Billie, and see if you can act sensibly. Sorry I asked you!" she explodedindignantly. "Why, who ever heard of such a thing!"

"But you said you wanted to solve the mystery--if there is one, " Billiereminded her, lying down again. 

"Well, of course I do. So do all the rest of you, " Connie shot back. "Butas to being sorry I asked you, why, I've a good mind----" She rosethreateningly in the bed and Billie put out a pleading hand, saying witha chuckle:

"Please don't kill me or do whatever you were going to. I take it allback. "

"I should say you'd better!" sputtered Connie, coming down with a thumpin the bed. 

"What are you girls raving about?" asked a sleepy voice from the nextroom that they recognized as Vi's. "Can't you keep still and let a fellowsleep? Laura's snoring already. "

"Oh, I am not!" came indignantly from Laura. "I never snore!"

"How do you know?" asked Vi with interest. 

"Know!" sputtered Laura. "Why, I don't know how I know, but I do know. "

"Perhaps you are like an aunt of mine, " Vi's voice came lazily back. "Shesays she knows she never snores because she stayed awake all night oncejust to see if she did. "

Billie and Connie chuckled, which would have made Laura more indignant ifshe had not been so sleepy. 

"Oh, for goodness sake, keep still and let me sleep, " she cried, addingferociously: "I saw a knife around somewhere downstairs. If anybodyspeaks another word I'm going down and get it. "

Whether this threat had anything to do with it or not, it would be hardto say. But at any rate the girls did stop talking and settled down forsleep. 

All but one of them succeeded in drifting off into the land of nod in notime at all, but that one of them--who was Billie--lay for a long timewith eyes wide open staring into the dark. 

Then gradually the soft lapping of waves upon the beach soothed her intoa sort of doze where tall thin men and shabby picture albums and queerlittle huts were all confused and jumbled together. Only one thing stoodout clearly, and that was the great searchlight, twinkling, winking, glowing, sending its friendly message far out upon the sea. 

Then all the troubled visions disappeared in a soft black cloud. Billiewas asleep. 

 CHAPTER XVII

 FUN AND NONSENSE

The next morning the girls were up with the sun. They were in hilariousspirits and made so much noise that Mrs. Danvers, busily gettingbreakfast in the kitchen below, smiled to herself and hugged a big colliethat at that moment strolled leisurely into the room. 

The big collie's name was Bruce, and he belonged to Uncle Tom of thelighthouse. But although Uncle Tom was his master and was first in hisdog's heart, Connie's mother was his very next best beloved and Brucespent his time nearly equally between the lighthouse and Uncle Tom andthe cottage and Connie's mother. 

Now he answered the woman's hug with a loving look from his beautifuleyes and waved his brush gratefully. 

"Bruce darling, " said Connie's mother, as she lifted a pan of biscuitsand shoved it into the oven, "it's a perfectly gorgeous morning and aperfectly gorgeous world and you're a perfectly gorgeous dog. Now don'tdeny it. You know you are! How about it?"

To which Bruce responded by a more vigorous waving of his white tippedbrush that very nearly swept a second pan of biscuits off on to thewell-swept floor. 

Connie's mother rescued it with a quick motion of her arm and stared atBruce reproachfully. 

"Bruce, just suppose you had spoiled it!" she scolded, as she slipped thepan into the oven after its fellow. "Don't you know that I have fourhungry girls to feed, to say nothing of a great big husband----"

"Now what are you saying about me?" asked a man's pleasant voice from thedoorway, adding as Connie's mother turned toward him: "Can't I help, dear? You look rather warm. "

"Warm! Well, I should say I was!" said Connie's mother, sweeping a straylock of hair back out of her eyes. "But what do I care when it's such awonderful world? Haven't I got my baby back again, and three others aswell? They're sweet girls, aren't they, John? And Billie Bradley is goingto be a beauty. "

"Well, I know some one else who is a beauty, " said Mr. Danvers, lookingadmiringly at his wife's rosy face and wide-apart, laughing eyes, addingwith a smile: "Even though she has a big patch of flour under one eye. "

"Oh!" cried Connie's mother, and wiped her face vigorously with a pinkand white checked apron. "Now just for that, " she said, turning to herhusband, who was still lounging in the doorway, "I'm going to put youout. And Bruce, too. I have enough to do without having a husband whomakes fun of me and a dog who sticks his tail into everything under myfeet all the time. Hurry on, " and she pushed her protesting, laughinghusband and the reluctant dog out through the open door and into thebrilliant sunshine beyond. 

"Are you going to call us in time for breakfast?" Mr. Danvers called backto his wife over his shoulder. 

"Of course, " she answered. "I'll send Connie after you. " And sheplayfully waved a frying pan at him. 

"She put us out, Bruce, " said Mr. Danvers laying a caressing hand on thedog's beautiful head as he walked gravely along beside him. "But we loveher just the same, don't we?" And Bruce's answer was to press close toMr. Danvers and wave his tail enthusiastically. 

Hardly had Mrs. Danvers had time to put the bacon in the oven to keepwarm and break the eggs into the pan when there was a sound ofskirmishing on the stairs, and a moment later a whirlwind broke in uponher. 

"Mother, Mother, Mother, everything smells good!" cried Connie, dancingover to her mother and hugging her so energetically that she almost sentthe eggs, pan and all, on the floor. "Is there anything we can do tohelp?"

"Yes--go away, " cried Connie's mother, seeing with dismay that one of theeggs in the pan was broken--and Connie's mother prided herself uponserving perfect eggs. Then, as she saw the surprise in the girls' faces, she relented, left the eggs to their fate, and hugged them all. 

"You're darlings, " she said. "But you're awfully in the way. Billie, forgoodness sake, hand me that pancake turner. Quick! These eggs are goingto be awful!"

But Billie had jumped to the rescue, and when the eggs were turned out onthe platter with the bacon surrounding them on four sides, they did notlook "awful" at all, but just about the most appetizing things the girlshad ever laid hungry eyes on. 

"Oh, let me carry them!"

"No, let me!"

"I'll do it!"

And to a chorus of a score or so other such pleas, the eggs were bornetriumphantly into the dining room and set carefully on the table. 

"Now the biscuits!" cried Connie, running back into the kitchen where hermother was just heaping another platter high with golden browndeliciousness. 

"Oh, Mother, " said Connie, darting a kiss at her mother that landed justexactly on the tip of Mrs. Danvers' pretty astonished nose, "everythingyou cook always looks just exactly like you. "

Then she disappeared with the biscuits, leaving her mother to rub hernose and smile somewhat proudly. 

"I guess it must have been a compliment, " she chuckled, as she followedConnie with a second plate of biscuits, "for they always seem to likewhat I cook. "

The girls were already waiting politely but impatiently for her. She wasabout to sit down when she thought of Mr. Danvers. She looked hastily atConnie. 

"I told your father I'd send you after him when breakfast was ready, " shesaid; and Connie looked dismayed. 

"Oh, bother!" she said. "I just know they'll eat all the biscuits beforeI get back. "

"No, we won't. We promise, " said Billie; but Connie still looked doubtfulenough to make them giggle as she flung out of the door in search of herfather. 

She had been gone scarcely two minutes when she returned triumphantlywith her father and Bruce in tow. 

"They were just coming back, " she told her mother, as she sank into herseat and reached for a biscuit. "Daddy said he smelled the biscuits andthey drew him with----What was it you said they drew you with, Daddy?"

"Irresistible force?" asked Mr. Danvers, as he greeted the girls and tookhis seat at the head of the table. "Now, if they only taste as theysmell----" He smiled at his wife across the table and she handed him aplate full of the golden brown biscuits. 

"Who owns the dog?" asked Laura boyishly, as Bruce sat down gravely atMrs. Danvers' side, looking up at her adoringly. 

"Oh, please, excuse me; I forgot to introduce him, " cried Mrs. Danvers, dimpling and laying her hand lightly on the dog's head. "This is RobertBruce, and he's a thoroughbred and belongs to Uncle Tom, and lives overat the lighthouse. "

"The lighthouse, " repeated Billie eagerly, then added as though she werethinking aloud: "Oh, but I'm crazy to see it. "

"Are you?" asked Connie's mother, looking surprised at Billie'seagerness, for the lighthouse was an old story to her. "Connie can takeyou over there to-day if you would like to go. "

"Oh, won't that be lovely!" cried Vi. "I've always wanted to see inside areal lighthouse. I want to know all about the lights and everything. Whencan we go, Mrs. Danvers?"

"Any time you like, " answered Mrs. Danvers, her heart warming to theirgirlish enthusiasm. She was falling in love with Connie's friends moreand more every minute. "Uncle Tom receives visitors at all hours of theday. "

"And he has lots of 'em, " added Connie, nodding over her coffee cup. "Allthe children and the men love him. He can tell so many stories, youknow----"

"And fish stories too, I reckon, " put in Connie's mother laughingly. "Youknow you can never really depend upon a sailor's telling the truth. "

Good as the breakfast was, the girls found themselves hurrying throughit, so eager were they to see the lighthouse and Uncle Tom. They tookBruce with them at Mrs. Danvers' request, for she was going to be verybusy and the big dog did have a habit of getting in the way. 

As the girls swung along the boardwalk they had a wild desire to shoutwith the sheer joy of living. Everything looked so different by daylight. It was not half so thrilling and mysterious, but it was much morebeautiful. 

The ocean was calm, for there was almost no wind. The water gleamed andsparkled in the brilliant sunshine, and the beach was almost toodazzlingly white to look upon. 

In the distance rose the irregular outline of the mainland, but on allother sides there was nothing but an illimitable stretch of long, graceful, rolling combers. 

As the girls came out upon the Point, there, before them, rose thelighthouse tower, robbed of the mystery it had worn the night before, yetwearing a quaint, romantic dignity all its own. 

"Connie, " said Billie happily, "I'm sure this is the most wonderful placein the world. "

 CHAPTER XVIII

 UNCLE TOM

Uncle Tom was undeniably glad to see them. He was sitting in the littleroom at the base of the tower which was his living room, smoking a greatcorn-cob pipe and idly turning over the pages of a book. 

But as Connie entered and ran to him with a joyful cry, he put the pipedown carefully, flung the book on the floor and caught the girl in abear's hug. 

"Well, well!" he cried, his great voice filling the room like thunder, "here's my little girl come back to me again. I was beginning to thinkyou'd deserted your uncle in his old age, Connie, lass. When did you getback? And who are these other very pretty young ladies you have withyou?"

"They are my chums and the nicest girls in all the world, " said Connie, turning to them gayly. "You must have known they were coming, Uncle Tom. Mother said she told you. "

"Yes, yes, so she did, " said Uncle Tom in the same hearty tones thatseemed to fill the little room and--the girls could almost have sworn toit--make it tremble. "But my memory is getting worse and worse, Connie, lass, " he added, with a doleful shake of the head that was belied by themerry twinkle in his eyes. "Let me see now, what was it their nameswere?"

Then laughingly Connie introduced the girls and Uncle Tom had some funnypersonal little thing to say to each one of them so that by the time theintroductions were over they were all laughing merrily and feeling verywell acquainted. 

"I suppose you will be wanting to see the tower, " said Uncle Tom, afterhe had shown them all around the quaint little room and introduced themto some of his treasures--queer racks and shells and pebbles that he hadpicked up in his wanderings. "Everybody always wants to climb the tower, and it's mighty hard on a poor old fellow with a weak back, let me tellyou. " And again the doleful shake of the head was belied by the twinklein his eyes. 

"Oh, we're in no hurry, please, " put in Billie, turning from one of thesmall-paned, outward-opening windows that looked straight out upon theocean. "I think this is the darlingest room I ever saw. I could spenddays and days just looking around here. "

Connie's Uncle Tom stood six feet two in his stocking feet and was broadin proportion. He had a shock of reddish brown hair that was becomingslightly streaked with gray, but his face was clean shaven. His featureswere rugged, rather than handsome, but his eyes were large and red-brownto match his hair and with an everlasting humor in them that madeeverybody love him who knew him. 

And now he stood looking down at Billie's pretty, eager face, and, thoughhis face was grave, his eyes were laughing as usual. 

"I'm glad you like it, " he said. "I do. But then, I have to. "

"I should think you'd want to, " Billie shot back. "Why, I am sure I wouldjust love to live here myself----"

"No, you wouldn't, " Uncle Tom interrupted, taking up his pipe and puffingat it thoughtfully. "It's mighty nice in the day time, I'll admit. Thenit's a mighty pretty, homey place. But at night, especially on a stormynight, it's different. The wind wails round here like a tortured ghost, the waves beat upon the rock foundation of the tower like savage beaststrying to tear it apart, and the tower itself seems to quiver andtremble. And you start to wonder--" the girls had gathered closer to him, for his voice was grave and his eyes had stopped laughing--"about theships away out there in the fury of the storm, some of them crippled, distressed, sinking perhaps. And you get to thinking about the men andwomen, and little children maybe, on board and wondering how many will bealive when the storm dies down. I tell you it grips you by the throat, itmakes your eyes ache with pity, and you curse the storm that's bringingdisaster along with it. "

His hands were clenched, his face was hard and stern, and the girls feltthrilled, stirred, as they had never been before. But suddenly he jumpedto his feet, went over to the window and stood there looking out for amoment. And when he came back he was smiling so naturally that the girlscaught themselves wondering if they had not dreamed what had gone before. 

"I didn't mean to give you a lecture, " he told them gayly. And withstrange reluctance they shook off the spell and smiled with him. "Comeon, let's take a look at the tower, and then I'll give you some clamchowder. Would you like some clam chowder?"

They were too fresh from breakfast to be wildly enthusiastic even overclam chowder just then, but they knew the time would come soon when theywould be hungry again, so they assented happily and followed the broadback of Uncle Tom up the winding tower steps. 

They exclaimed over the tower room, and the wonderful revolving light, but the thing that charmed them most was the platform that completelyencircled the tower. 

They reached the platform through a small door, and as the girls steppedout upon it they felt almost as if they were stepping out into space. 

The water seemed unbelievably far away, farther a good deal than itactually was, and Billie did not dare look down very long for fear ofbecoming dizzy. 

It was almost half an hour before Uncle Tom finally succeeded in luringthem away from the platform, and then the whole crowd of girls wentreluctantly. 

They went downstairs with Uncle Tom and listened to his yarns, with Brucecurled happily up at his master's feet, until the thought of the clamchowder he had promised them became insistent and Connie asked himpointblank whether he had forgotten all about it. 

Uncle Tom indignantly denied the latter imputation, and set aboutpreparing the chowder immediately, the girls offering eager butinexperienced help. Bruce tried to help, too, but only succeeded, asusual, in getting himself in the way. 

And after that came bliss! The girls succeeded in devouring a huge pot ofdelicious chowder--it was better than that they had had the night before, because it was freshly made--and it was after three o'clock before theyfinally tore themselves from the lighthouse and Uncle Tom and started forthe Danvers' bungalow. 

"Come again and come often, " he called after them in his megaphone voice, one hand stroking Bruce's beautiful head as the big dog stood beside him. 

"We will, " they answered happily. 

"Especially if you give us clam chowder every time, " Billie laughed backat him over her shoulder. "Good-bye, Bruce. " She turned once more beforethey lost sight of the lighthouse keeper, and there he was, towering inthe doorway, his dog at his side, smoking his corn cob pipe and gazingthoughtfully out to sea. 

"I don't wonder you love him, Connie, " she said, shading her eyes withher hand, for the brilliant sunshine made her blink. "I think he'swonderful. He's like--like--somebody out of a book. "

"Poor Teddy, " said Laura, with a wicked side glance at her chum. "I guesshe'd better hurry up, if he's coming. "

Billie tried hard to think of something crushing to say in reply, butbefore she could speak Connie gave an excited little skip that verynearly landed her in the sand a couple of feet below the boardwalk. 

"Oh, when do you suppose the boys will get here?" she asked eagerly. "I'mjust crazy to go out in that motor boat of Paul's. "

"Yes, to have the boys come will be all we need to make us perfectlyhappy, " declared Vi. 

"Well, they ought to be along in a few days now, " said Billie. Then shesuddenly caught Connie's arm and pointed out toward the water's edge. 

"Look!" she cried. "There are some people in swimming. "

"Why, of course, " said Connie. "We can go in swimming, too, to-morrow ifwe want to. Maybe Uncle Tom will come along. I always feel safer withhim, he's such a wonderful swimmer. "

"Oh, I hope so, " said Vi, adding plaintively: "I only wish to-morrowwasn't such a long way off, " and she sighed. 

The girls walked along in silence for a few minutes. Then Billie spoke asif she were thinking aloud. 

"I wonder, " she said, "what your Uncle Tom----"

"You'd better call him your Uncle Tom, " said Connie, with a laugh, "because he's already adopted you. "

"All right, " agreed Billie. "I wonder what made Uncle Tom speak the wayhe did about storms and wrecks and--and--things----"

"Why, since he's a sailor, " said Laura, "I suppose he's been in all sortsof wrecks, and of course he thinks about them most in a storm. "

"No, " said Connie gravely. "No, that isn't it. You see, " she lowered hervoice a little and spoke slowly, "Uncle Tom lost somebody in a wreckonce. She was a very lovely girl, it is said, and Uncle Tom was engagedto marry her. "

The girls' young faces were very sober as they gazed at Connie. 

"Oh, " said Billie softly. "Now I see. Poor, poor Uncle Tom!"

 CHAPTER XIX

 PAUL'S MOTOR BOAT

The days flew by on wings and the girls were surprised to wake onemorning to find that they had been at Lighthouse Island over a week. 

They had been bathing and boating and swimming till they were tanned abeautiful brown, the color not being confined to their faces, butcovering their arms and hands as well. 

What with the exercise and Mrs. Danvers' wonderful cooking, they hadgained flesh so fast that they had begun to wonder a little anxiously ifthey were "bound for the freak show. "

"Why, it's positively dreadful!" Laura declared one morning, feelingruefully of her waistline which she was quite certain had expanded atleast two inches. "I've simply got to stop eating, or something. "

"Stop eating!" echoed Billie, taking up a handful of sand and letting itsift slowly through her fingers. "Well, maybe you can do it, Laura dear, but I certainly can't--not with Connie's mother doing the cooking. "

"I don't intend to try, no matter how fat I get, " declared Vi. 

It was right after breakfast, and the girls had jumped into their bathingsuits, as they did at almost the same time every morning, and werewaiting impatiently for the hour to pass that Mrs. Danvers had insistedmust pass before they went in swimming after breakfast. 

"Mother said she might come down this morning and go in with us, " saidConnie, her eyes fixed dreamily on the horizon. Then suddenly she sat upstraight and stared. 

"What's the matter?" asked Billie. "Seeing ghosts or something?"

"No. But look!" Connie clutched at her arm. "Isn't that a motor boat?"

"That" was a tiny spot that grew bigger as they looked and seemed to beheaded in their direction. 

"It's a boat of some sort, I think, " said Vi. "But you can't tell whetherit's a motor boat or some other kind of a craft. "

"Of course you can, " Laura broke in excitedly. "It's got to be a motorboat because there aren't any sails or anything. It is! It is! Oh, girls!could it be----"

"The boys?" finished Billie, shading her eyes with her hand and gazingeagerly out toward the speck that was growing larger every minute. "Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful?"

"But we're not a bit sure it's the boys, " Connie reminded her. "Lots ofmotor boats come here in the summer. "

"Oh, stop being a kill-joy, " Laura commanded, giving her a little shake. "I just feel it in my bones that the boys are in that boat. Where willthey land, Connie?"

"At the dock, of course, " Connie answered, in a tone which said veryplainly: "You ought to have known that without asking. "

"Well, let's run around there then, " cried Billie, her cheeks red withexcitement. "They won't know what to do if nobody's there to meet them. "

As always with Billie, to think a thing was to do it, and before thegirls had a chance to say anything she was off, fleet-footed, down thesand in the direction of the dock. 

The girls stared for a minute, then Laura started in pursuit. 

"Come on, " she cried. "She's crazy, of course, but we've got to followher, I suppose. "

Billie had almost reached the dock before they caught up with her. ThenLaura reached out a hand and jerked her to stop. 

"Billie, " she gasped, "be sensible for just a minute, please. Suppose itisn't the boys? Then we won't want to be waiting around as though wewanted somebody to speak to us!"

"Well, but I'm sure it is the boys. You said so yourself, " retortedBillie impatiently, her eyes fixed on the mysterious spot dancing andbobbing on the glistening water. "And they certainly won't know what todo if there isn't a soul here to meet them. "

"But we don't want to meet them in our bathing suits, " said Vi, who, withConnie, had just come pantingly up. "It wouldn't be just proper, wouldit?"

Billie looked at her doubtfully a moment, then reluctantly shook herhead. 

"No, I don't suppose it would, " she admitted, adding with a stamp of herfoot. "But I did want to be here to meet them. "

"Well, we can be, if we rush, " broke in Connie. "The boat won't reach thedock for fifteen or twenty minutes anyway, because it's still a long wayoff. We may be able to throw some clothes on and be back by that time. "

"'Throw' is right, " Laura said skeptically, but Billie was already racingoff again in the direction of the cottage. With a helpless little laugh, the girls followed. 

The boys would have declared it could not be done. But the girls provedthat it could. They were panting when they reached the house, stoppedjust long enough to explain to the surprised Mrs. Danvers and thenscurried upstairs, and with eager fingers tore off their bathing suitsand substituted their ordinary clothes. 

"It's good we didn't go in bathing and get our hair all wet, " Vi panted, but Laura put a hand over her mouth. 

"Stop talking, " she commanded. "You need your breath!"

As a matter of fact, they were pretty much out of the last-named articlewhen they reached the dock again. But the great thing was that they hadsucceeded in getting there before whoever was in that motor boat made alanding. 

"Suppose after all this it isn't the boys?" panted Laura, and Connie gaveher a funny glance. 

"Kill-joy, " she jeered, paying her back. 

Laura was about to retort, but Billie interrupted with a chuckle. 

"Stop fighting, girls, " she commanded, "and tell me something. Is my hairon straight?"

"No, it's too much over one eye, " replied Connie in the same tone. 

Then Vi claimed their attention. 

"Look!" she cried. "They are coming around the other side of the dock. Oh, isn't that a perfectly beautiful boat?"

It was, but the girls were just then too much interested in finding outwho was in the boat to pay very much attention to its beauty. Thegraceful craft swung around toward them, the motor was shut off, and theboat glided easily in to the dock. 

The girls were standing a little way back, so as not to appear toocurious, and that was the reason why the boys saw them before they sawthe newcomers. 

There was a whoop from the deck of the motor boat, a shout of, "Say, fellows, look who's here!" and the next moment three sportily clad youngfigures leaped out on the dock and made a dash for the girls, leaving thefourth member of their party protesting vigorously. 

The fourth member was none other than Paul Martinson, and, being theowner and captain of the handsome motor boat, he had no intention offollowing the other boys and leaving his craft to wander out to sea. 

So he told the boys what he thought of them, which did not do a particleof good since they did not hear a word he said, and remained in the boatwhile he held on to the dock with one hand. 

Meanwhile Chet had hugged his sister and Teddy had hugged his sister andFerd had declared longingly that he wished he had a sister to hug, itmade him feel lonesome, and there was laughter and noise and confusiongenerally. 

It was Connie who reminded them of poor Paul grumbling away all byhimself in his boat, and the boys ran penitently over to him while thegirls danced after them joyfully. 

"Oh, what a splendid boat!"

"Isn't she a beauty!"

"What good times you must have in her. "

It was really an unusually handsome craft, and it was little wonder thatPaul regarded it with pride. He invited the girls on board, and they wentinto raptures enough over it to satisfy even him. 

It was a good fifty feet in length and had a cabin in which one couldstand up if one were not very tall. There were bunks running along bothsides of the cabin that looked like leather-cushioned divans in thedaytime and could be turned into the most comfortable of beds at night. 

There was a galley "for'ard, " too, where the boys cooked their rathersketchy meals, and into this the girls poked eagerly curious heads. 

"Oh, it's all just the completest thing I've ever seen!" cried Billie, clapping her hands in delight while Paul looked at her happily. "Thosecunning curtains at the window and--everything!"

"My mother did that, " Paul admitted sheepishly, as he followed the girlsout on the deck. "And I didn't like to take them down. "

"Well, I should say you wouldn't take them down!" said Connieindignantly. "The idea! Don't you dream of it! Why, they are just whatmake the cabin!"

"But isn't this some deck! Did your mother do this too, Paul?" askedLaura, her eyes traveling admiringly from the pretty wicker loungingchairs to the gayly striped awning and brilliant deck rail that shownlike gold in the dazzling sun. "Why, Paul, I never knew a motor boatcould be so pretty and comfy. "

"Say, but you ought to see her go!" put in Chet eagerly. "She's as fast alittle boat as she is pretty. Oh, she's great!"

"Yes, it almost makes me wish I had done some studying at school, " saidFerd Stowing, rubbing his head ruefully. "Maybe if I had my dad wouldhave given me an aeroplane or something. "

After they had fastened the boat securely to the dock so that there wasno danger of its floating off they turned reluctantly away from the dockand started off toward the Danvers' cottage. 

Then the girls tried to tell the boys all that had happened since theyhad last met and the boys tried to do the same, the result being hopelessconfusion and perfect happiness. 

"Say, make believe that beach doesn't look good!" exclaimed Teddy toBillie, for they had fallen a little behind the rest. "And the good oldocean--say, what a day for a swim!"

"That's just what we were going to do when we saw you coming, " Billieconfided, thinking how exceedingly handsome he looked in his whitetrousers and dark coat. Then she told him of the wild scramble they hadhad to get dressed, and she looked so pretty in the telling of it that hedid not hear much of what she was saying to him for looking at her. 

"But what made you so sure it was us?" asked Teddy ungrammatically. 

Billie chuckled and gave a little skip of pure happiness. 

"Laura said she felt it in her bones, " she said. 

 CHAPTER XX

 OUT OF THE FOG

That afternoon the boys and girls went in swimming and that eveningConnie's mother treated them all to a substantial dinner such as only sheknew how to cook. 

And the way it disappeared before those ravenous girls and boys made evenMr. Danvers hold up his hands in consternation. But Connie's motherlaughed happily, pressed them to eat everything up, "for it would onlyspoil, " and looked more than ever like Connie's older sister. 

That night the boys were put up in a spare room which contained one bedand two cots which Connie's mother always kept stowed away foremergencies. For the cottage on Lighthouse Island was a popular placewith Mrs. Danvers' relatives and friends, and she often had unexpectedcompany. 

They went out on the porch a little while after supper, and the boys wereat their funniest and kept the girls in a continual gale of merriment. 

The time passed so quickly that before they knew it eleven o'clock chimedout from the hall inside and in consternation Connie's mother hurriedthem all off to bed. 

"To-morrow is another day, " she added with a little smile. 

As they started up the stairs Teddy looked down at Billie and saidboyishly:

"Say, Billie, you've got _some_ sunburn, haven't you? You're--you'remighty pretty. "

Then Teddy blushed and Billie blushed, and Billie hoped with all herheart that Laura had not heard it. 

Laura had not, for she was talking and laughing with Paul Martinson andConnie. And so Billie, running ahead and reaching her room first, turnedon the light and stepped over to the mirror. 

Was that Billie, she wondered, who gazed back at her from the mirror? Forthis girl was surely prettier than Billie ever had been. Her eyes wereshining, her cheeks were flushed under their tan, and her hair, a littletumbled by the breeze from the sea, made an unexpectedly pretty frame fora very lovely face. 

The next day the girls insisted that the boys take them out in theirmotor boat. The boys protested a little, for the sun was acting ratherqueerly--going under a cloud and staying there sometimes for half an houron a stretch. 

"I don't know, " said Paul, a doubtful eye on the sky. "It isn't what youcould call a real clear day, girls, and I don't want to take any chanceswith you. "

"Oh, we're not afraid, if you're not, " sang out Laura teasingly, and heturned round upon her with a scowl. 

"I'm not afraid for myself, and I think probably you know that. Just thesame----"

"Oh, but here's the sun!" called Vi suddenly, as the sun burst forth fromthe cloud and showered a golden glory over everything. "It's going to bea beautiful day--just beautiful. "

So it was settled, and amid great fun and laughter they picked up thelunch that Connie's mother prepared for them and started happily off, humming as they went. 

As they clambered aboard _The Shelling_--Paul had named his craft afterCaptain Shelling, the master of Boxton Military Academy, --the sun wentunder a cloud again, and this cloud was bigger and blacker than any thathad swallowed it before. But Laura's taunt still rang in Paul's ears, andhe said nothing. 

In a little while there was no need for words. The girls began to see forthemselves that Paul had been right and that it would have been farbetter if they had waited till a really clear day. 

They had put some distance between them and the mainland when the sunwent under a cloud for good, and a cool little breeze began to rise. 

This had been going on for some time before they even realized it, theywere having such fun. Then it was Connie who spoke. 

"Doesn't it look a little--a little--threatening, Paul?" she askedtimidly. "Do you suppose it is going to rain?"

"No, I don't think it's going to rain, " Paul answered, his hands on thewheel, his eyes rather anxiously fixed on the water ahead. "But I dothink we're going to have one of those sudden heavy mists that come offthe coast here. Dad said to look out for them, because they're thickenough to cut, and if you get caught in one you can't see your handbefore your face. "

The girls were sober enough now as they looked at each other. 

"But what makes you think we're going to have one, Paul?" asked Laurahumbly. 

"Because the air is so still and muggy, " Paul answered, then added with awave of his hand out over the water: "Look--do you see that?"

"That" was a faint, misty cloudlike vapor hanging so low that it seemedalmost to touch the water. And suddenly the girls were conscious thattheir hair was wet and also their hands and their clothes. 

"Goodness, we must be in it now!" said Vi looking wonderingly down at herdamp skirt. "Only it's so light you can't see it. "

"I'm afraid it won't be light very long, " said Paul grimly, as he swung_The Shelling_ around and headed back the way they had come. 

"What are you going to do?" asked Laura, still more humbly, for she nowwas beginning to think that she was to blame for the fix they were in--ifindeed it were a fix. 

"I'm going to get back to land as soon as I can, " Paul answered her. "Before this fog closes down on us. "

"What would happen, Paul?" asked Billie softly. "I mean if it shouldclose down on us. "

"We'd be lost, " said Paul shortly, for by this time he was more thananxious. He was worried. 

"Lost!" they repeated, and looked at each other wide-eyed. 

"Well, you needn't look as if that was the end of the world, " said Teddy, trying to speak lightly. "All we would have to do would be to keep ondrifting around till the fog lifted. It's simple. "

"Yes, it's simple all right, " said Chet gloomily. "If we don't run intoanything. "

"Run into anything!" gasped Connie, while the other girls just stared. "Oh, Paul, is there really any danger of that?"

"Of course, " said Paul impatiently, noticing that the fog was growingthicker and blacker every moment. "There's always danger of running intosomething when you get yourself lost in a fog. And it's the little boatthat gets the worst of it, " he added gloomily. 

"Say, can't you try being cheerful for a change?" cried Teddyindignantly, for he had noticed how white Billie was getting and wastrying his best to think of something to say that would make her laugh. "There's no use of singing a funeral song yet, you know. "

"No, and there's no use in starting a dance, either, " retorted Paul, wondering how much longer he would be able to keep his course. "We're ina mighty bad fix, and no harm can be done by everybody knowing it. Ican't possibly get back to the island--or the mainland either--beforethis fog settles down upon us. "

It took a minute or two for this to sink in. There was no doubt about it. He was telling them that in a few minutes they would be lost in thishorrible fog. And that might mean--they shivered and turned dismayedfaces to each other. 

"I--oh, I'm awfully sorry, " wailed Laura. "If I hadn't said what I did toPaul we might never have come. "

"Nonsense! that had nothing to do with it, " said Billie, putting a loyalarm about her chum. "We would have come just the same. "

Then followed a waking nightmare for the boys and girls. In a few momentsthe fog settled down upon them in a thick impenetrable veil, so densethat, as Paul had said, you could almost have cut it. 

It became impossible for Paul to steer, and all there was to do was tosit still and wait and hope for the best. Fog horns were sounding allabout, some seeming so close that the girls fully expected to see somegreat shape loom up through the mist, bearing down upon them. 

For a long time nobody spoke--they were too busy listening to the weirdmeanings of the fog horns and wondering how they could have escaped acollision so long. For a while Paul had kept the engine running in thehope that he might be able to keep to his course and eventually get toLighthouse Island. But he had decided that this only made a collisionmore likely, and so had shut it off. And now they had been floating forwhat seemed hours to the miserable boys and girls. 

It was Connie who finally broke the silence. 

"Oh, dear, " she said, apropos of nothing at all, "now I suppose we'llhave to die and never solve our mystery after all. " She sighedplaintively, and the girls had a wild desire to shout with laughter andcry at the same time. 

"Goodness, " said Laura hysterically, "if we've got to die who cares aboutmysteries anyway?"

The boys, who had been peering ahead into the heavy unfriendly fog, looked at the girls in surprise. 

"What do you mean--mystery?" Ferd asked. 

Before the girls could answer a sharp cry from Paul jerked their eyesback to him. 

"Look!" he cried, one hand on the wheel and the other pointing excitedlybefore them to a dark something which loomed suddenly out of the mist. "There! To starboard. We'll bump it sure!"

 CHAPTER XXI

 THE BOYS ARE INTERESTED

For a moment the girls were too terrified to speak. And the next momentthey could not have spoken if they had wanted to, for _The Shelling_collided so suddenly with whatever it was that had risen out of the mistthat they had all they could do to keep from being thrown to the deck. 

Then Paul gave a cry of joy and sprang wildly to the side of the boat. 

"Say, how's this for luck, fellows?" he cried. "I thought it was anotherboat and that we were bound for Davy Jones' locker sure, and here it'sthe dock instead. Say, talk about luck! I'll say it's grand!"

"The dock!" the others echoed wonderingly. The sudden relief was so greatthat they were feeling rather dazed. 

"You mean it's our dock--Lighthouse Island?" Connie asked stupidly, andPaul's answer was impatient. 

"I guess it is--looks like it, " he said. "But then it doesn't matter muchwhat dock it is as long as it's _a_ dock. What do you people say to goingashore?"

What they said was soon shown by the eagerness with which they scrambledon to the dock. And when they found that it was really Lighthouse Islanddock their thankfulness was mixed with awe. 

"Why, it's a miracle!" said Vi, staring wide-eyed about her. 

"That's just about what it looks like, " agreed Chet soberly. 

"A miracle!" exclaimed Ferd derisively. "It's just that the wind and thetide happened to be going in the right way, that's all. "

"Well, it's a miracle that the wind and the tide did happen to be goingthe right way, " retorted Laura. 

"Yes, and it's another miracle, " said Billie softly, "that even with thewind and the tide going the right way we didn't run into something beforewe got here. "

"I guess we did come pretty close to it, " said Teddy soberly, staring outinto the heavy mist that still showed no sign of lifting. "I don't knowabout the rest of you, but I do know that I'm mighty glad to be on thegood old ground again. It beats the water, just now. "

"You bet, " said Paul fervently, as he made his boat fast to the dock. "Itwould have been a hot note if I'd had to lose my boat that way afterworking all year to earn it. "

The girls and boys stared at him in surprise for a moment. Then theylaughed, and the laughter broke the tension that they had been under andmade them feel more natural. 

"Never mind us as long as you saved your boat, " said Ferd with a chuckle. "Come on, folks. It's mighty damp out here. I'll be glad when we can getunder cover and dry out a bit. Gee, but I'll say I'm some wet. "

"And Mother will be just worried to death, " cried Connie penitently, forthis was the very first minute she had given her mother a thought. "Oh, let's hurry. "

They were starting off almost at a run when Billie called to them. 

"Do you know we forgot something?" she asked. Then she pointed to theuntouched lunch hamper which Mrs. Danvers had heaped high with goodthings. This was still standing close to the railing on the deck of _TheShelling_ where the boys had put it when they climbed aboard. 

"We forgot all about eating, " she said in an incredulous voice. "Now Iknow we were scared. "

"Say, what do you know about that?" asked Ferd weakly. "I'd have said itcouldn't be done. "

"And it must be away past lunch time, too, " added Chet. 

"Oh, gosh! why did you go and remind me I was starving?" groaned Teddy, and with a quick movement he leaped into the boat and caught up thebasket. "Come on, who's first?" he cried. 

But Billie stopped him by pressing a determined hand down on the lid. 

"Not here, " she begged. "We're all wet and uncomfortable, and we'll enjoyit ever so much more if we wait till we get to the house. Please, Teddy, now mind. "

Teddy looked longingly at the basket, then at Billie, and gave in. 

"All right, " he said. "Only we'll have to walk fast!"

When they reached the cottage they found Connie's mother almost besideherself with anxiety and Connie's father doing his best to soothe her. Sothat when the young folks came in the door looking rather damp andbedraggled but safe, Mrs. Danvers cried out joyfully, ran to them, andhugged them one after another till she was completely and rapturously outof breath. 

"You precious kiddies!" she cried, standing back and regarding them withshining eyes. "You will never know how horribly worried Dad and I havebeen. You poor children, why, you are soaked through! And, " as her eyesfell on the basket, "you don't mean to tell me you haven't had any lunch. Oh dear, oh dear! Run into the library, the lot of you. Daddy made a firethinking if we ever did get you back you'd need some drying out--and youcan be starting in on sandwiches while I make you some hot chocolate. Nowrun along--quick. " And she disappeared into the kitchen while the youngfolks went on into the library. 

Connie would have run after her mother to offer her help, but Mr. Danversstopped her. 

"I'll help Mother, " he said. "You run along with the others, dear, andget warmed through. I don't want my little girl to catch cold. It mightspoil your whole summer. "

So Connie went on into the library and found that the boys had arrangedthe chairs in a semicircle around the fire and were already opening thelunch basket. 

Mrs. Danvers came in a few minutes later with the chocolate, and, oh, howthat hot drink did taste! She demanded to know all about everything. Theytold her, speaking one at a time, two at a time, and all at once, till itwas a wonder she could make any sense out of it at all. But when she andher husband did realize how terribly close the young folks had been todisaster they looked very sober and in their hearts thanked Providencefor guiding them back to safety. 

After they had eaten, the girls and boys felt very lazy and lingered inthe pretty library before the open fire till the shadows began to fall. 

"I hope we have half-way decent weather to start out on to-morrow, " saidPaul suddenly as he gazed out of the window. 

"Oh! must you go _to-morrow_?" asked Billie, with such genuine regretthat Teddy looked at her sideways. 

"I'm afraid so, " said Paul, also turning to look at her. "We've had abully good time and we'd like to stay longer, but you see I promised DadI'd pick him up a little farther along the coast and I can't do it unlesswe start to-morrow. "

"But suppose it isn't a nice day?" Connie put in. "Will you go anyway?"

"Oh, of course, if it was really stormy we couldn't. We would have towire Dad or something. But I think it's going to be clear to-morrow, " hefinished cheerfully. 

Connie shook her head. 

"I don't know about that, " she said. "Uncle Tom says that a terriblyheavy mist like this generally forecasts a storm, and a pretty bad storm, too. "

"Well, we don't have to worry about that now, anyway, " said Teddy, stretching his long legs out contentedly toward the fire. "Let's enjoyourselves while we can. By the way, " he added, turning to Billie, andBillie thought that Teddy was getting better looking every minute--or wasit the firelight? "What did you girls mean by speaking of a mystery? Wehaven't heard a word about any mystery. "

"Of course you haven't. You don't suppose we tell you _everything_, doyou?" said Laura, with a sisterly sniff. 

"Well, but what did you mean?" asked Ferd, adding his voice to Teddy'swhile the other boys seemed interested. 

The girls looked at one another and then at Billie. 

"Shall we tell them?" asked Vi. 

"I don't see why we shouldn't, " Billie answered, her eyes on the fire. "Of course we don't know that there's any mystery about it. It only looksqueer, that's all. "

Then with the help of the girls she told the boys all about the man wholived in a hut in the woods and called himself Hugo Billings, and alsoabout Miss Arbuckle and the album she had been so overjoyed to recover. The boys listened with an interest that fast changed to excitement. 

"Well, I should say there was something queer about it!" Ferd Stowingbroke out at last. "Especially about the man who lives in the woods andmakes fern baskets. He's either crazy or he's a thief or something. "

"Gee, I wish you had told us about it while we were there!" said Chetregretfully. "We might have been able to find out something--landed himin jail maybe. "

"Then I'm glad we didn't tell you, " said Billie promptly. 

"Why?" asked Chet, amazed. 

"Because I felt awfully sorry for him, " his sister answered softly. "AndI'd rather help him than hurt him. I'd like to see him smile again. "

"Smile?"

"Yes, for he looked so awfully downhearted. "

 CHAPTER XXII

 THE FURY OF THE STORM

The next day the boys went off again in spite of Mrs. Danvers' entreatiesto stay another night or two until the weather showed definite signs ofclearing up. 

But the boys were decided--saying that since the mist had lifted they hadreally no excuse for staying longer, and as Paul was evidently veryanxious to get to his father, Mrs. Danvers had nothing else to do but togive in. 

"It's true, the fog has lifted, " she admitted, gazing up anxiously at anovercast sky, "but after a calm like this we are sure to have astorm--how much of one it's hard to tell. Well, go on. But promise me tostay close to the mainland and to put in to shore if the weather manlooks too threatening. "

The boys promised and the girls waved to them until _The Shelling_ wasonly a tiny speck on the water. Then they turned rather sadly back towardthe Danvers' home. 

"I feel as if somebody were dead or something, " complained Vi, as theyneared the bungalow. "I don't know what's the matter with me. "

"It's the weather, I guess, " said Billie, feeling low in spiritsherself--a very unusual state for merry Billie. "We shall all feel betterwhen the sun comes out. "

"If it ever does, " said Laura, gloomily. 

"It's got to, " said Vi. 

Half way home they saw Uncle Tom hurrying toward them with Robert Bruceat his heels, and they wondered what the matter was. 

"Hello!" he cried when he came within earshot. "I was just going to seeyour dad, Connie. The boys haven't gone yet, have they?"

And when Connie said that they had he looked so grave that the girls werefrightened. 

"Why, Uncle Tom, what's the matter?" asked Connie fearfully. 

"Matter enough, " said Uncle Tom, turning to scowl up at the overcast sky. "It's as much as those youngsters' lives are worth for them to set outto-day. Why, there's a storm on the way, " and he fixed his eyes gravelyon the girls, "such as this old Maine coast hasn't seen for years. Why, every captain who can read the signs is going to make straight for thenearest port, or if he is too far away to make port before the stormbreaks, he's going to get down on his knees and pray the good Lord tomake his old ship staunch enough to stand the test. It will be upon us bynight. " His eyes sought the wild dreary waste of water and he spoke asthough to himself. "Lord, how I dread to-night!"

"But, Uncle Tom, what can we do about the boys?" Connie shook his armfiercely. "Why, if we have the kind of storm you say they may be drowned!Oh, can't we do something?"

Uncle Tom's eyes came back from the horizon and he shook his head slowly. 

"I don't know that there's much we can do--now, " he said. "If they haveany sense they'll put in to port before the storm breaks. That is if theystick close in to shore. "

"They said they would, " Billie put in eagerly. "Oh, I hope they do!"

Uncle Tom nodded absently, for his mind seemed to be upon other things. 

"Then they ought to be all right, " he said, adding, while the linesdeepened about his mouth: "But Heaven help the ships that can't put intoshore to-night. "

He turned slowly and strode away from them toward the lighthouse withBruce still following worshipfully after him. He had forgotten they werethere. 

"Poor Uncle Tom!" said Connie, as they went slowly on toward thebungalow. "He always gets so queer when there's a storm along the coast. I guess it makes him think of--her. "

 * * * * *

It was night, and the storm had burst in all its fury. The four girls andConnie's mother had gathered in the little front sitting room on thesecond floor. 

Mr. Danvers had started a few minutes before to press the button thatwould flood the room with light, but Billie had begged him not to. 

"I want to see the light in the tower, " she had pleaded, adding softly:"Somehow I'm not quite so afraid for the ships out there when I see thelight. Oh, listen to that wind!"

"I don't see how we can very well help it, " said Vi, with a little shiverand cuddling up close to Billie on the window seat and slipping a handinto hers. "Oh--h!" and she clapped her hand to her ears as the wind roseto a wailing scream and the windows all over the house shook and rattledwith the impact. 

"I guess Uncle Tom was right, " said Connie, from somewhere out of thedarkness. "Dad says, too, that this is the worst summer storm we have hadaround these parts for years. Oh, I do hope the boys are safe somewhereon shore. "

"I don't think we need worry about them, " said Mr. Danvers. Or rather hestarted to say it, but at that moment the wind rose with insane fury, bringing the rain with it in driving torrents that beat swishingly uponthe sand and drove viciously against the windows. 

He waited for a moment until the wind died down. Then he began again. 

"The storm was a long time in coming, " he said. "The boys had plenty ofwarning. Paul is very cautious, and I know he wouldn't go on in the faceof such danger. But, " and he turned toward the window again, "heaven helpthe ship that can't make port to-night. "

"That's almost exactly what Uncle Tom said, " remarked Connie, and thenthere was silence in the little room again while outside the storm ragedand the light from the lighthouse tower sent its warning far out over thefoam-crested waves. 

The girls went to bed at last. Not because they expected to sleep, butbecause Connie's mother insisted. 

"Poor Uncle Tom!" murmured Billie to herself as, in her little whitenightie, she stood at the window looking out toward the lighthouse tower. "All alone out there. What was it he said? 'You think of the men and thewomen and the little children out there on the sinking ships, and youcurse the storm that's bringing disaster along with it. ' Poor, poor UncleTom! I wonder if he _is_ thinking of--her. "

And with a sigh she turned from the window and crept into bed besideConnie. 

Toward morning the girls were awakened from an uneasy sleep by a strangewhite light flashed suddenly in their eyes. They stumbled out of bed, dazed by the suddenness with which they had been awakened and stared outinto the black night. 

"What was it?" gasped Billie. "Oh my, there it is again!"

"The searchlight, " cried Connie, running over to the window, her eyeswide with horror. "Billie, that's the signal to the life-savers. Andthere goes the siren, " she groaned, clapping her hands over her ears asthe moan of the siren rose wailingly into the night. "It's a wreck!Billie--oh--oh!"

"A wreck!" cried a voice behind them, and they turned to see Laura in thedoorway with Vi peering fearfully over her shoulder. "Oh, girls, I wasjust dreaming----"

"Never mind what you were dreaming, " cried Billie, beginning to pull onher clothes with trembling hands. "If it is a wreck, girls, we may beable to do something to help. Oh, where is my other stocking? Did any onesee it? Never mind, here it is. Oh, hurry, girls; please, hurry. "

Twice more while they were dressing the searchlight flashed round uponthe island, filling their rooms with that weird white light, and thesiren wailed incessantly its wild plea for help. 

The girls were just pulling on their waterproof coats when Connie'smother, white and trembling, appeared in the doorway and stared withamazement at sight of them. 

"I heard you talking, girls, " she said, "and knew you were awake. I hopedyou would sleep through it. "

"Sleep through _that_?" asked Connie, as the siren rose to a shriek andthen died off into a despairing moan. "Oh, Mother----"

"But what are you going to do, kiddies?" asked Mrs. Danvers, taking astep toward them. "The life-savers will be coming soon--perhaps they areat work now--and they will do all that can be done. Why are you puttingon your coats?"

"Oh, please, please don't make us stay at home, " begged Billie, turningan earnest, troubled face to Connie's mother. "We may not be able to doanything to help, but we shall at least be there if we should be needed. "

"Muddie, dear, we couldn't stay here, we just couldn't, " added Connie, and with a little choked cry Mrs. Danvers turned away. 

"You darling, darling kiddies, " she cried. "Run along then if you must. Only, " she stopped at the doorway to look earnestly back at them, "don'tgo any farther than the lighthouse until Dad and I come. We'll be alongright away. "

The girls ran down the stairs, and Connie opened the front door withhands that fumbled nervously at the lock. As the door swung open the windsprang at them like a living thing, taking their breath, making themstagger back into the hall. 

"Th--that wind!" cried Laura, clenching her hands angrily. "I'd like tokill it! Come on, girls. "

Laura rushed out into the storm while the other girls followed, pullingthe door shut behind them. 

 CHAPTER XXIII

 FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Foot by foot they fought their way through the storm, conscious thatother hurrying forms passed them from time to time. Their minds werefixed upon one thing. They must get to Uncle Tom. He would be able totell them everything and perhaps let them know how they could help. 

But they soon found that just getting to the lighthouse was a problem. Time and again they had to stop and turn their backs to the furious windin order to catch enough breath to fight their way on. 

"Look!" Connie had shouted once, pointing toward the east. "It must bealmost morning. The sky is getting light. "

As they hurried on they became more and more conscious that everybodyseemed to be heading in the same direction--toward the lighthouse. 

"The shoal!" gasped Connie in Billie's ear. "The wind must have drivensome ship upon it, and in this gale----"

But she never finished the sentence, for at this minute they came outupon the Point where the lighthouse stood and stopped dead at the scenethat met their eyes. 

The Point was black with people all gesticulating and pointing excitedlyout toward a great shape which, looming grayly against the liftingblackness of the sky, staggered and swayed like a drunken thing in thegrip of the gigantic foam-tipped waves. 

"Oh, " moaned Connie, "it's just as I thought! There's Uncle Tom. Come on, Billie. " And she elbowed her way through the crowd to where Uncle Tomstood, his great height making him conspicuous among the other men, bawling out directions to the life-savers who were just making ready tolaunch their staunch little boats. 

"Say, do you call this hurrying?" Uncle Tom was crying, his eyestraveling from the life-savers to the wreck and back again. "Don't yousee she's just hanging on by her eyelashes? Another sea like that and youwon't have a chance to save anybody. Good boys--that's the idea. Bendyour backs, my lads. God help you--and them!" he added under his breath, his eyes on the laboring vessel. 

"Uncle Tom!" cried Connie, tugging at his arm, "have they got achance--those people out there? Have they?"

He glanced down at her for a moment, then his eyes sought the furioussea. He shook his head and his hands clenched tight at his sides. 

"About one chance in a thousand, " he muttered, more to himself than toher. "The Evil One's in the sea to-night. I never saw the like of it--butonce. "

Then followed a struggle of human might against the will of theoverpowering elements--a struggle that the girls never forgot. On, on, fought the gallant men in the staunch little boats. On, on toward thequivering giant that hung on the edge of destruction--her fate the fateof all the lives on board. 

The storm that had beaten her on to the treacherous shoal was now doingits best to loosen her hold upon it. And that hold was the one slenderthread that kept alive the hope of the passengers on board. 

If the pounding waves once succeeded in pushing her back into the deeperwater of the channel, nothing could save her. The great hole ripped inher side by the impact with the shoal would fill with water, and in fiveminutes there would be nothing left but the swirling water to mark thespot where she had been. 

And the passengers! At the thought Billie cried out aloud and clenchedher fists. 

"Oh, oh, it can't be, it can't be! Those boats will never reach her intime. Oh, isn't there something somebody can do?" She turned pleadinglyto Uncle Tom, but the look on his face startled her and she followed hisset gaze out to sea. 

"No, there isn't anything anybody can do--now, " he said. 

The storm had had its way at last. The elements had won. With a rendingof mighty timbers the tortured ship slid backward off the shoal and intothe deep waters of the channel. 

"There she goes!"

"That's the last of that vessel!"

"I wonder if any of the folks on board got off safely. "

"I couldn't see--the spray almost blinds a fellow. "

Such were some of the remarks passed around as the ship on the shoalslipped slowly from view. 

The girls clung to each other in an agony of suspense. Never had theydreamed that they would witness such a dreadful catastrophe as was nowunfolding before them. 

"Oh, Billie, this is dreadful!" groaned Laura, her face white withterror. 

"I can hardly bear to look at it, " whimpered Vi. "Just think of thosepoor people! I am sure every one of them will be drowned. "

"Some of them must have gotten away in the small boats, " answered Billie. 

"I didn't see any of the boats, " protested Connie. "But, of course, youcan't see much of anything in such a storm as this. "

"All we can do is to hope for the best, " said Billie soberly. 

"It's the worst thing I ever heard of, " sighed Vi. "Why must we have suchstorms as this to tear such a big ship apart!"

A groan went up from the watchers, and many of them turned away. Theycould not see the end. 

But the girls stared, fascinated, too dazed by the tragedy to turn theireyes away. 

The life-savers, who had almost reached the ship, backed off a little, knowing that they could not help the passengers now and fearful of beingdrawn under by the suction themselves. 

The great ship hesitated a moment, trembled convulsively through all herframe, then her stern reared heavenward as though protesting against herfate, and slowly, majestically, she sank from view beneath the swirlingwaters. 

Then the girls did turn their eyes away, and blindly, sobbingly, theystumbled back through the crowd toward the lighthouse. 

"Oh, Billie, Billie, they will all be drowned!" sobbed Laura. The tearswere running down her face unchecked. "Oh, what shall we do?"

"If they could only have held on just a few minutes more, " said Vi, white-faced, "the life-savers would then have had a chance to have takenthem off. "

"They may save some of them anyway, " said Billie, her voice soundingstrange even to herself. "The life-savers will pick up anybody whomanages to get free of the wreck, you know. "

"Yes; but Uncle Tom says that when a ship sinks like that it is hard tosave anybody, " said Connie, twisting her handkerchief into a damp littleball. "Girls, " she said, turning upon them eyes that were wide withhorror, "it makes me crazy to think of it. Out there, those people aredrowning!"

"Oh, don't" cried Billie, pressing her hands to her ears. "I--I can'tstand it. Girls, I've got to walk!" And Billie started off almost at arun along the beach, fighting her way against the wind. 

The other girls followed her, and for a while they ran along, not knowingwhither they were going, or caring. All they wanted was to forget thehorror of the thing they had seen. 

"What's that?"

Billie stepped back so quickly that she almost lost her footing in theslippery sand. 

"What do you mean, Billie?"

"That!"

"Why, it--it looks like----"

"Come on. Let's find out. " And Billie ran to the thing that looked like alarge piece of driftwood washed up on the sand by the heavy sea. 

And as she reached it she drew in her breath sharply and brushed a handacross her eyes to make sure she was not dreaming. On the thing that wasnot a piece of driftwood at all, but looked like a sort of crudely andhastily constructed raft, were lashed three small, unconscious littleforms. 

"Girls, look!" she almost screamed above the shrill wind. "Do you seethem, too?"

"Why--why, they are children!" cried Laura. "Oh, Billie, do you supposethey're alive?"

"I don't know, " said Billie, dropping to her knees beside the threepitiful little figures. Two of them were girls, twins evidently, and thethird was a smaller child, a boy. Something in their baby attitudes, perhaps their very helplessness, stung Billie to sudden action. 

"Help me get them loose!" she cried to the other girls, who were stillstaring stupidly. "I don't know whether they're dead or not yet. But theywill be if we don't hurry. Oh, girls, stop staring and help me!"

Then how they worked! The slippery wet rope that bound the little formswas knotted several times, and the girls thought they must scream withthe nightmare of it before they got the last knot undone. 

"There! At last!" cried Billie, flinging the rope aside and trying tolift one of the little girls. She found it surprisingly easy, for thechild was pitifully thin. She staggered to her feet, holding the littleform tight to her. 

Laura and Vi each took one of the children and Connie offered to helpwhoever gave out first. Then they started back to the lighthouse. Luckilyfor them, the wind was at their backs, or they never could have made thetrip back. 

When they reached the Point they found that most of the crowd haddispersed. Only a few stragglers remained to talk over the tragedy inawed and quiet whispers. 

These stared as the girls with their strange burdens fought their waytoward the door of the lighthouse. Some even started forward as though tooffer assistance, but the girls did not notice them. 

Through the window Billie could see Uncle Tom standing before hismantelpiece, head dropped wearily on his arm. Then Connie opened the doorand they burst in upon him. 

"Oh, Uncle Tom!" she gasped. "Please come here, quick!"

 CHAPTER XXIV

 THREE SMALL SURVIVORS

It did not take Uncle Tom very long, experienced as he was, to bring thethree children back to consciousness. As it was, they had been moreaffected by the cold and the fright than anything else, for the raft, crude as it was, had kept them above the surface of the waves and savedtheir lives. 

As the girls bent over them eagerly, helping Uncle Tom as well as theycould, the faint color came back to the pinched little faces, and slowlythe children opened their eyes. 

"Oh, they are alive, bless 'em, " cried Billie, jumping to her feet. Butthe quick action seemed to terrify the children, and they cried out inalarm. In a minute Billie was back on her knees beside them, looking atthem wonderingly. 

"Why, what's the matter?" she asked, putting out her hand to the littleboy, who shrank away from her and raised an arm before his eyes. "Why, honey, did you really think Billie would hurt a nice little boy likeyou?"

But all three children had begun to cry, and Billie looked helplessly ather chums. 

Uncle Tom had spread a large rug on the floor and had laid the childrenon it while he worked over them. Up to this time he had been on his kneesbeside the girls, but now he got to his feet and looked down at themsoberly. 

"Somebody's been mistreating 'em, " he said, his eyes on the threecowering, pathetic little figures. "Poor little mites--poor little mites!Found 'em on a sort of raft, you say? Washed up by the waves?"

The girls nodded, and Billie, putting a tender arm around the littlefellow, succeeded in drawing him up close to her while Laura and Vi triedto do the same with the little girls. Connie was watching her Uncle Tom. 

"H'm, " said the latter, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Folks on theship probably--drowned out there. Poor little waifs. Kind of up to us totake care of 'em, I reckon. "

"Of course it is, " cried Connie, jumping to her feet. "Uncle Tom, wheredid Mother and Daddy go?"

"On, toward the house, " said Uncle Tom, nodding his head in the directionof the bungalow. "When they couldn't find you they got kind o' worriedand thought you must have made tracks for home. "

"Here they come now, " cried Laura, for through the windows she had caughtsight of Mr. And Mrs. Danvers hurrying along the walk toward thelighthouse. 

"Oh, I'm glad, " said Billie, hugging the little boy to her and smoothinghis damp hair back from his forehead. The child had stopped crying andhad snuggled close to Billie, lying very still like a little kitten whohas found shelter and comfort in the midst of a wilderness. The softlittle confiding warmth of him very suddenly made Billie want to cry. "Your mother will know what to do, " she said to Connie. 

"Mother always does, " said Connie confidently, and a minute later openedthe door to admit two very much wind-blown, exhausted and very anxiousparents. 

"Oh, kiddies, what a fright you gave us!" cried Connie's mother, lookingvery pale and tired as she leaned against the door post while Mr. Danverspatted her hand gently and tried not to look too much relieved. "Wheredid you go? Why, girls----" She stopped short in absolute amazement andbewilderment as she caught sight of Laura and Vi and Billie on the floor, each with a child clasped in her arms. "Where did you get them?"

She did not wait for an answer. She flew across the room and, dropping toher knees, gazed at the children who at this new intrusion had startedaway from the girls and regarded her with wide, doubtful eyes. 

"Why, you precious little scared babies, you!" she cried, pushing thegirls away and gathering the children to her. "I don't know where youcame from, but what you need is mothering. Where did they come from?" sheasked, looking up at Uncle Tom. 

"From out there, " said Uncle Tom gravely, waving his hand toward the spotwhere the ship had gone down. Then he quickly told her and Mr. Danverswhat the girls had told him. They did not interrupt. Only, when he hadfinished, Mrs. Danvers was crying and not trying to hide it. 

"Oh, those poor, poor people!" she sobbed. "And these poor littlefrightened, miserable children all, all there is left. Oh, I'll never getover the horror of it. Never, never! John, " she added, looking up at herhusband with one of those quick changes of mood that the girls hadlearned to expect in her, "will you and Tom help me get the childrenhome? They mustn't be left like this in dripping clothes. They'll catchtheir death of cold. What they need is a hot bath and something to eat, and then bed. Poor little sweethearts, they are just dropping for sleep. "

So Uncle Tom took one of the little girls, Mr. Danvers another, andConnie's mother insisted upon carrying the little boy. 

"Why, he's nothing at all to carry, " she said, when her husbandprotested. "Poor child--he's only skin and bones. "

So the strange procession started for the bungalow, the girls, tired outwith nerve strain and excitement, bringing up the rear. But they did notknow they were tired. The mystery of the three strange little waifswashed up to them by the sea had done a good deal to erase even thehorror of the wreck. 

"And we haven't the slightest idea in the world who they really are orwhom they belong to, " Connie was saying as they turned in at the walk. "It is a mystery, girls, a _real_ mystery this time. And I don't know howwe'll solve it. "

But they forgot the mystery for the time being in the pleasure of seeingthe waifs bathed and wrapped in warm things from the girls' wardrobes andfed as only Connie's mother could feed such children. 

Gradually the fear died out of the children's eyes, and once the littleboy even reached over timidly and put a soft, warm hand in Billie's. 

"You darling, " she choked, bending over to kiss the little hand. "You'renot afraid of Billie now, are you?"

The little girls, who were twins and as like as two peas, were harder towin over. But by love and tenderness Connie's mother and the girlsmanaged it at last. 

And then eyes grew drowsy, tired little heads nodded, and Connie'smother, with a look at Mr. Danvers, who had been hovering in thebackground all the time, picked up one of the little girls and startedfor the stairs. 

"I'm going to tuck them in bed, " she said, speaking softly. "We can putthem in our room, John--in the big bed. "

A few minutes later the girls stood in Mrs. Danvers' room, looking downat three little flushed faces, three tousled heads that belonged to threevery sound-asleep little children. 

Connie's mother tiptoed out of the room and motioned to the girls tofollow, but they lingered for a minute. 

"Aren't they lovely?" asked Connie, with a catch in her voice. 

"They're beautiful, " said Laura. "Especially the little boy. "

"And they ate, " said Vi softly, "as if they had been half starved. Poorlittle things--I wonder who they are?"

"Girls, " said Billie gravely, "I suppose you will laugh at me when I tellyou, but ever since I first saw them I have had a strange feeling----"

"Yes, " they said impatiently, as she paused. 

"That I have seen them somewhere before, " she finished, looking at themearnestly. "And now, as they lie there I'm almost sure of it. "

"Seen them before?" repeated Connie, forgetting in her astonishment tolower her voice, so that the little boy stirred restlessly. Billie drewthem out into the hall. 

"Come into our room, " she said; and they followed her in wonderingsilence. 

"I wish you would say that all over again, Billie, " said Vi eagerly, whenthey had drawn their chairs up close to Billie. "You said you had seenthem before?"

"No, I said I thought I had seen them before, " said Billie, frowning withthe effort to remember. "It seems foolish, I know----"

"But, Billie, if you feel like that you must have some reason for it, "said Laura eagerly. 

There followed a silence during which Billie frowned some more and thegirls watched her eagerly. Then she disappointed them by suddenly jumpingup and starting for the door. 

"Well, " she said, "I can't remember now. Maybe I will when I've stoppedtrying to. Come on, Connie, let's help your mother with the dishes. "

But Billie did not find the answer for several days. Meanwhile they hadreceived word from the boys that they had put into port the afternoon ofthe great storm and had not been able to go out again until a couple ofdays later. No news concerning the three waifs had come in. 

The boys had received news of the wrecked ship, of course, and weretremendously excited about it. 

"You girls have all the luck, anyway, " Chet wrote to Billie. "Justthink--if we had stayed over a few hours we would have seen the wrecktoo. "

Billie tore the letter up and flung it into the paper basket. 

"Luck!" she had murmured, her face suddenly grown white as she gazed outover the water that was brilliantly peaceful once more in the afternoonsunlight. "He calls _that_ luck!"

The boys had promised to return in a couple of weeks and give the girls aregular "ride in the motor boat. " If it had not been for the waifs whohad so strangely been entrusted to them, the girls would have lookedforward more eagerly to the return of the boys. 

As it was, they were too busy taking care of the sweet little girls andbeautiful little boy and falling in love with them to think much of theboys one way or another except to be deeply thankful that they hadescaped disaster in the storm. 

And then, when Billie had nearly forgotten that strange impression shehad had in the beginning of having seen the children before, suddenly sheremembered. 

It was one night after the girls had gone to bed. They had been laughingover some of the cunning things the children had been doing, and Laurahad been wondering how they would go about finding the relatives of thechildren--if they had any--when suddenly Billie sat up in bed with a lookof astonishment on her face. 

"Girls, " she cried, "I know where I saw those children. "

"Oh, where?" they cried, and then held their breath for her answer. 

"In Miss Arbuckle's album!"

 CHAPTER XXV

 THE MYSTERY SOLVED

For a moment there was silence in the two rooms while the girls let thissink in. Then Laura and Vi jumped out of bed, and, running into Connie'sroom, fairly pounced upon Billie. 

They were all so excited that for a moment they could not speak. And thenthey all spoke at once. 

"Miss Arbuckle's album!"

"Billie, you must be crazy!"

"I never heard anything----"

"Billie, are you sure?"

These, and a dozen other wild questions like them fairly smothered poorBillie, and it was a long time before she could get a word in edgewise. 

"Please keep still a minute, " she cried at last. "You're making so muchnoise you'll wake the children. "

"Goodness! who cares about the children?" cried Laura impatiently. "Billie, if you don't say something, I'll scream. "

"Well, give me a chance then, " retorted Billie. 

"What did you mean by saying that you saw them in Miss Arbuckle's album?"asked Connie. 

Billie looked at her soberly and then said very quietly. "Just that!"

"But, Billie, when did this happen?" cried Laura, fairly shaking her inher impatience. "For goodness sake, tell us everything. "

"Why, I know!" Vi broke in excitedly. "Don't you remember what Billiesaid about Miss Arbuckle's crying over the pictures of three children inthe album----"

"And said, " Connie took up the tale eagerly, "that she had lost her dearones, but didn't want to lose their pictures too? Oh, Billie, now it is amystery!"

"But if you are sure these are the same children you saw in the album, Billie, " said Laura, walking up and down the room excitedly, "you willhave to do something about it. "

"Of course, " said Billie, her eyes shining. "I'll write to Miss Arbuckleand tell her all about it. Oh, girls, I can't wait to see her face whenshe sees them. I'm sure it will make her happy again. "

They talked about Billie's remarkable discovery late into the night, until finally sheer weariness forced them to go to bed. But in themorning they were up with the first ray of sunlight. 

They told Connie's mother and father about it at the breakfast table, andbefore they got through the meal the two older people were almost asinterested and excited as the girls. 

As soon as she could get away Billie flew upstairs to write her letter, leaving the others still at the table. The children had already had theirbreakfast--for like all children they woke up with the birds--and wereout playing on the front porch. 

"Why, I never heard anything like it!" said Connie's mother to herequally astonished husband. "It seems like a fairy tale. But, oh, I dohope it is true--for the kiddies' sake and for that of that poor MissArbuckle. "

Again and again Mrs. Danvers had tried to question the children abouttheir parents and where they lived, but the little things had seemed tobe thrown into such terror at the very first questions and had refused soabsolutely to say a word that might lead to the discovery of theirrelatives that she had been forced to give up in despair. Just the verynight before Mr. Danvers had decided to go over to the mainland and putan advertisement in all the leading papers. 

"Although I rather dread to find their guardians, " he had confided to hiswife that night, as they had stood looking down at the sweet littlesleeping faces. "I'm falling in love with them. It's like having Connie ababy all over again. "

And Connie's mother had patted his arm fondly and reached down to draw acover up over one little bare arm. 

"I feel that way too, " she had said softly. 

When Billie had finished her letter Mr. Danvers volunteered to take itover to the mainland for her and send it special delivery. 

"You won't put the ad in the paper then, will you?" his wife asked as hestarted off. 

"No, " he said, stooping down to pat the little boy's dark head. "I'llgive Billie a chance to clear up her mystery first. " And with a smile atBillie he swung off down the walk while with quickened hearts the girlsand Mrs. Danvers watched him go. 

Suddenly the little fellow got up from the hollow in the sand where heand his sisters had been making sand pies and ran up to Billie, wavinghis shovel excitedly. 

"Him goin' 'way?" he asked, pointing down the beach toward Mr. Danvers. 

"Yes. But he's coming back, " said Billie, catching the little fellow upand kissing his soft rosy cheek. Then she looked at the girls and hereyes filled with tears. "Oh, girls, " she cried, "I don't see how I'mgoing to give him up!"

Then followed days of anxious waiting for the girls. Every night when themail came in on the _Mary Ann_ they were at the dock to meet it. Butthough they searched for a letter postmarked Molata with eager eyes, dayafter day went by and still there was no word from Miss Arbuckle. 

This state of affairs continued for over a week until the girls had begunto give up in despair. And then one night it came--the letter they hadbeen waiting for. 

They did not wait to get home, but sat down on the edge of the dock whileBillie read it aloud. 

The letter was such a mixture of joy and hope and fear that sometimes thegirls had hard work making anything out of it. However, this much wasclear: Miss Arbuckle intended to leave Molata Friday night--and this wasFriday night--and would probably be at Lighthouse Island Saturdaymorning. And to-morrow was Saturday!

"She says, " Billie finished, her voice trembling with excitement, "thatthe reason she didn't write to us before was because she was out of townand didn't receive my letter for almost a week after it reached ThreeTowers Hall. She says----"

"Oh, who cares about that?" cried Laura impatiently. "The main thing isthat she will be here to-morrow. "

"Only a little over twelve hours to wait. "

The girls did not sleep very well that night, and they were up anddressed and at the dock almost an hour before the steamer was due. 

They were so nervous that they could not stand still, and it was just aswell that the _Mary Ann_ was a little early that morning, or the dockwould have been worn out completely, Connie declared. 

"Oh, Billie, suppose she doesn't come?" whispered Vi as the boat slidinto the dock. "Suppose----"

"No suppose about it, " Billie whispered back joyfully. "Look, Vi! Thereshe is. "

"But who is the man with her?" cried Laura suddenly, as Miss Arbucklewaved to them from the upper deck and then started down the narrowwinding stairway, followed by a tall, rather stoop-shouldered man whoseemed to the girls to have something vaguely familiar about him. 

"He may not be with her, " Billie answered. But suddenly she gasped. MissArbuckle had stepped upon the dock with hands outstretched to the girls, and as the tall man followed her Billie got her first full look at hisface. 

It was Hugo Billings, the mysterious maker of fern baskets whom they hadfound in his hut in the woods!

As for the man, he seemed as much astonished as the girls, and he stoodstaring at them and they at him while Miss Arbuckle looked from one tothe other in amazement. 

"What's the matter?" she cried. "Hugo, have you met the girls before?"

"Why, why yes, " stammered the man, a smile touching his lips. 

"You see we were lost in the woods and he very kindly showed us the wayout, " said Billie, finding her voice at last. 

"Oh, " said Miss Arbuckle. 

Then she introduced her companion to the girls as "my brother" and oncemore the girls thought they must be losing their minds. But this timeMiss Arbuckle did not seem to notice their bewilderment, for her wholemind was on the object that had brought her here. 

"The children?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. "Are theyhere?"

"They are at my house, Miss Arbuckle, " said Connie, recovering from herbewilderment enough to realize that she was the hostess. "I supposeyou're crazy to see them. "

"Oh yes! Oh yes!" cried the teacher. Then, as Connie led the way ontoward the cottage, she turned to Billie eagerly. 

"Billie, " she said, "are you sure you recognized my children? If I shouldbe disappointed now I--I think it would kill me. Tell me, what do theylook like?"

As Billie described the waifs Miss Arbuckle's face grew brighter andbrighter and the man whom the girls had called Hugo Billings leanedforward eagerly. 

"I guess there's no mistake this time, Mary, " he said, and there wasinfinite relief in his tone. 

When they reached the cottage the children were playing in the sand asusual, and the girls drew back, leaving Miss Arbuckle and her brother togo on alone. 

Miss Arbuckle had grown very white, and she reached out a hand to herbrother for support. Then she leaned forward and called very softly:"Davy, Davy, dear. "

The children stopped playing and stared up at the visitors. But it wasthe little fellow who recognized them first. 

"Mary! My Mary!" he cried in his baby voice, and ran as fast as hislittle legs could carry him straight into Miss Arbuckle's arms. Then thelittle girls ran to her, and Miss Arbuckle dropped down in the sand andhugged them and kissed them and cried over them. 

"Oh, my children! My darling, darling children!" she cried over and overagain, while the man stood looking down at them with such a look of utterhappiness on his face that the girls turned away. 

"Come on, " whispered Billie, and they slipped past the two and into thehouse. 

Connie's mother and father were in the library, and when the girls toldthem what had happened they hurried out to greet the newcomers, leavingthe chums alone. 

"Well, now, " said Laura, sinking down on the couch and looking up atthem, "what do you think of that?"

"I'm so dazed, I don't know what to think of it, " said Billie, adding, with a funny little laugh: "The only thing we do know is that everybody'shappy. "

"Talk about mysteries----" Connie was beginning when Connie's mother andMiss Arbuckle came in with the clamoring, excited children. And to saythat Miss Arbuckle's face was radiant would not have been describing itat all. 

"Oh girls, girls!" she cried, looking around at them, while her eyesfilled with tears, "do you know what you've done for me--do you? But ofcourse you don't, " she answered herself, sitting down on the couch whilethe children climbed up and snuggled against her. "And that's what I wantto tell you. "

"Ob, but not now, " protested Connie's mother. "I want to get you a cup oftea first. "

"Oh, please let me tell the girls now. I want to, " begged Miss Arbuckle, and Connie's mother gave in. 

"You see, " the teacher began while the girls gathered around eagerly, "only a few months ago Hugo--my brother--and I were very happy. That wasbefore the dreadful thing happened that changed everything for us. I wasnurse and governess, " she hugged the children to her and they gazed up ather fondly, "to these children at the same house where Hugo was headgardener. Our employers were very wealthy people, and, having too manysocial duties to care for their children, Hugo and I sort of took theplace of their father and mother. Indeed we loved them as if theybelonged to us. "

She paused a moment, and the girls stirred impatiently. 

"Then the terrible thing happened, " she continued. "One night thechildren disappeared. I had put them to bed as usual, and in the morningwhen I went in to them they were gone. "

"Oh!" cried the girls. 

"But that wasn't enough--Hugo and I weren't sorrow-stricken enough, " shewent on, a trace of bitterness creeping into her voice. "But they--Mr. And Mrs. Beltz--must accuse us--us--of a plot to kidnap the children. They accused us openly, and Hugo and I, being afraid they had enoughcircumstantial evidence to convict us, innocent though we were, fled fromthe house. 

"That's about all, " she said, with a sigh. "Hugo built himself a littlerefuge in the woods and made fern baskets, selling enough to make him ascanty living, and I went as a teacher and house matron to Three TowersHall. That is why, " she turned to Billie, who was staring at herfascinated, "I was so desperate when I lost the album, and why, " sheadded, with a smile, "I acted so foolishly when you returned it. "

"You weren't foolish, " said Billie. "I think you were awfully brave. Iunderstand everything now. "

"But I don't--not quite, " put in Connie's mother, her pretty foreheadpuckered thoughtfully. "Of course you didn't kidnap the children, "turning to Miss Arbuckle, "but it is equally certain that somebody musthave done it. "

"Oh, but don't you see?" Connie broke in eagerly. "The kidnappers, whoever they were, must have gone down on the ship out there on theshoal. "

"And they bound the children on that funny raft and set them adrift, probably thinking they would be able to get away themselves, " added Vieagerly. 

"And then the ship went down before they could follow, " said Billie, adding, as she turned earnestly to the teacher: "Oh, Miss Arbuckle, itwas awful--that poor ship out there going down with all the people onboard!"

"Yes, it must have been horrible. I read about it in the papers, " noddedMiss Arbuckle soberly. Then a great light broke over her face as shelooked down at the three children who were still not much more thanbabies. "But some good comes of almost everything. I have my preciouschildren now, and I can take them back to their family and prove myinnocence--and Hugo's. Oh I'm so happy--I'm so happy!"

"But won't you come back to Three Towers any more?" asked Laura, her faceso long that Miss Arbuckle laughed delightedly. 

"Yes, my dear, " she said, a joyful light in her eyes that made her quitea different person. "Hugo will probably go back to his old position, butI--oh, I could not desert Three Towers now after all you girls have donefor me. "

Then Connie's mother had her way and whisked joyful Miss Arbuckle awayupstairs to "take off her hat" while the children trailed after, leavingthe girls alone. 

Laura and Connie and Vi fairly hugged each other over the marvelousclearing up of their mystery, but Billie turned away and looked out ofthe window, while sudden tears stung her eyes. 

She did not notice that the little boy whom Miss Arbuckle had called Davystopped at the foot of the stairs and crept softly back to her, she didnot know he was anywhere around, till a soft little hand was slipped intohers and a baby voice said plaintively:

"Me loves my Billie, too. "

"You darling!" cried Billie, kneeling down and catching him close to her. "I suppose they will take you away now where you belong, honey, but don'tever forget your Billie. "

And when the girls went over to her a few minutes later they weresurprised to find that her eyes were wet. 

"Why, Billie, you've been crying!" Laura exclaimed. "And you ought to beas happy as the rest of us. "

"I am, " said Billie, wiping her eyes hard. "Only I was thinking of littleDavy. "

"Well, don't, if it makes you cry and gets your nose all red, " scoldedConnie. 

"Never mind, honey, " said Vi, putting an arm about her. "We are all sorryto see the kiddies go, of course. But we can see them again some time ifwe want to. "

"And just think, " added Laura happily, "the boys are coming back nextweek. And that means Teddy, too, " she added slyly. 

"Yes, I'm glad he--_they_ are coming, " stammered Billie, and the otherslaughed at her confusion. Then suddenly she wiped away the last trace ofher tears and her eyes began to shine, making her look like the Billiethe girls knew and loved best. "We _will_ have some good times when theboys come, girls. Why, " as if making a surprising discovery, "our fun hasjust begun!"

And that Billie was speaking the truth and that there were moreadventures in store for the boys and girls than even the girls dreamed ofon that beautiful summer day, will be shown in the next volume of theseries. 

In the due course of time the three Beltz children were restored to theirparents. It was learned that they had been kidnapped by three men who hadthought to make a large sum of money out of their scoundrelly game. Butall three kidnappers had lost their lives in the wreck. 

At first it was supposed that many had gone down in the foundering of the_Daniel Boley_, as the ship was named. But later on it was learned thatthree small boats had got away in safety and the survivors had beenpicked up by a vessel bound for Halifax. So the loss of life was, afterall, small. 

Mr. And Mrs. Beltz were heartily ashamed of having suspected MissArbuckle and her brother of wrong doing, and they offered both theirpositions back at increased salaries. Hugo returned to the Beltz estate, but not so his sister. 

"I love the children very, very much, " said Miss Arbuckle. "But I alsolove Three Towers Hall and the girls there. I shall remain at theschool. " And she did, much to the delight of Billie and her chums. 

And now the sun shining brightly once more and happiness all around them, let us say good-bye to Billie and the other girls on Lighthouse Island. 

 THE END

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BILLIE BRADLEY SERIES

by JANET D. WHEELER12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

1. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER INHERITANCE

or The Queer Homestead at Cherry Corners

Billie Bradley fell heir to an old homestead that was unoccupied andlocated far away in a lonely section of the country. How Billie wentthere, accompanied by some of her chums, and what queer things happened, go to make up a story no girl will want to miss. 

2. BILLIE BRADLEY AT THREE-TOWERS HALL

or Leading a Needed Rebellion

Three-Towers Hall was a boarding school for girls. For a short time afterBillie arrived there all went well. But then the head of the school hadto go on a long journey and she left the girls in charge of two teachers, sisters, who believed in severe discipline and in very, very plain foodand little of it--and then there was a row! The girls wired for the headto come back--and all ended happily. 

3. BILLIE BRADLEY ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND

or The Mystery of the Wreck

One of Billie's friends owned a summer bungalow on Lighthouse Island, near the coast. The school girls made up a party and visited the Island. There was a storm and a wreck, and three little children were washedashore. They could tell nothing of themselves, and Billie and her chumsset to work to solve the mystery of their identity. 

4. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER CLASSMATES

or The Secret of the Locked Tower

Billie and her chums come to the rescue of several little children whohave broken through the ice. There is the mystery of a lost invention, and also the dreaded mystery of the locked school tower. 

5. BILLIE BRADLEY AT TWIN LAKES

or Jolly Schoolgirls Afloat and Ashore

A tale of outdoor adventure in which Billie and her chums have a greatvariety of adventures. They visit an artists' colony and there fall inwith a strange girl living with an old boatman who abuses her constantly. Billie befriended Hulda and the mystery surrounding the girl was finallycleared up. 

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THE BARTON BOOKS FOR GIRLS

By MAY HOLLIS BARTON12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With colored jacketPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

May Hollis Barton is a new writer for girls who is bound to win instantpopularity. Her style is somewhat of a mixture of that of Louisa M. Alcott and Mrs. L. T. Meade, but thoroughly up-to-date in plot andaction. Clean tales that all girls will enjoy reading. 

1. THE GIRL FROM THE COUNTRY

or Laura Mayford's City Experiences

Laura was the oldest of five children and when daddy got sick she feltshe must do something. She had a chance to try her luck in New York, andthere the country girl fell in with many unusual experiences. 

2. THREE GIRL CHUMS AT LAUREL HALL

or The Mystery of the School by the Lake

When the three chums arrived at the boarding school they found the otherstudents in the grip of a most perplexing mystery. How this mystery wassolved, and what good times the girls had, both in school and on thelake, go to make a story no girl would care to miss. 

3. NELL GRAYSON'S RANCHING DAYS

or A City Girl in the Great West

Showing how Nell, when she had a ranch girl visit her in Boston, thoughther chum very green, but when Nell visited the ranch in the great Westshe found herself confronting many conditions of which she was totallyignorant. A stirring outdoor story. 

4. FOUR LITTLE WOMEN OF ROXBY

or The Queer Old Lady Who Lost Her Way

Four sisters are keeping house and having trouble to make both ends meet. One day there wanders in from a stalled express train an old lady whocannot remember her identity. The girls take the old lady in, and, later, are much astonished to learn who she really is. 

5. PLAIN JANE AND PRETTY BETTY

or The Girl Who Won Out

The tale of two girls, one plain but sensible, the other pretty but vain. Unexpectedly both find they have to make their way in the world. Bothhave many trials and tribulations. A story of a country town and then acity. 

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THE LINGER-NOT SERIES

By AGNES MILLER12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

This new series of girls' books is in a new style of story writing. Theinterest is in knowing the girls and seeing them solve the problems thatdevelop their character. Incidentally, a great deal of historicalinformation is imparted. 

1. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE MYSTERY HOUSE

or The Story of Nine Adventurous Girls

How the Linger-Not girls met and formed their club seems commonplace, butthis writer makes it fascinating, and how they made their club serve agreat purpose continues the interest to the end, and introduces a newtype of girlhood. 

2. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE VALLEY FEUD

or The Great West Point Chain

The Linger-Not girls had no thought of becoming mixed up with feuds ormysteries, but their habit of being useful soon entangled them in somesurprising adventures that turned out happily for all, and made thevalley better because of their visit. 

3. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THEIR GOLDEN QUEST

or The Log of the Ocean Monarch

For a club of girls to become involved in a mystery leading back into thetimes of the California gold-rush, seems unnatural until the reader seeshow it happened, and how the girls helped one of their friends to comeinto her rightful name and inheritance, forms a fine story. 

4. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE WHISPERING CHARMS

or The Secret from Old Alaska

Whether engrossed in thrilling adventures in the Far North or occupiedwith quiet home duties, the Linger-Not girls could work unitedly to solvea colorful mystery in a way that interpreted American freedom to a sadyoung stranger, and brought happiness to her and to themselves. 

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THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES

By ALICE B. EMERSON12mo. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

Ruth Fielding was an orphan and came to live with her miserly uncle. Heradventures and travels make stories that will hold the interest of everyreader. 

Ruth Fielding is a character that will live in juvenile fiction. 

1. RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL2. RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOODHALL3. RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP4. RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT5. RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH6. RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND7. RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM8. RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES9. RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES10. RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE11. RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE12. RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE13. RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS14. RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT15. RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND16. RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST17. RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST18. RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE19. RUTH FIELDING TREASURE HUNTING20. RUTH FIELDING IN THE FAR NORTH21. RUTH FIELDING AT GOLDEN PASS22. RUTH FIELDING IN ALASKA23. RUTH FIELDING AND HER GREAT SCENARIO

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THE BETTY GORDON SERIES

By ALICE B. EMERSON12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

1. BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARM

or The Mystery of a Nobody

At twelve Betty is left an orphan. 

2. BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON or Strange Adventures in a Great City

Betty goes to the National Capitol to find her uncle and has severalunusual adventures. 

3. BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL

or The Farm That Was Worth a Fortune

From Washington the scene is shifted to the great oil fields of ourcountry. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of to-day. 

4. BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL

or The Treasure of Indian Chasm

Seeking treasures of Indian Chasm makes interesting reading. 

5. BETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP

or The Mystery of Ida Bellethorne

At Mountain Camp Betty found herself in the midst of a mystery involvinga girl whom she had previously met in Washington. 

6. BETTY GORDON AT OCEAN PARK or School Chums on the Boardwalk

A glorious outing that Betty and her chums never forgot. 

7. BETTY GORDON AND HER SCHOOL CHUMS

or Bringing the Rebels to Terms

Rebellious students, disliked teachers and mysterious robberies make afascinating story. 

8. BETTY GORDON AT RAINBOW RANCH

or Cowboy Joe's Secret

Betty and her chums have a grand time in the saddle. 

9. BETTY GORDON IN THE MEXICAN WILDS

or The Secret of the Mountains

Betty receives a fake telegram and finds both Bob and herself held forransom in a mountain cave. 

10. BETTY GORDON AND THE LOST PEARL

or A Mystery of the Seaside

Betty and her chums go to the ocean shore for a vacation and there Bettybecomes involved in the disappearance of a string of pearls worth afortune. 

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THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES

By LILLIAN GARIS12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

The highest ideals of girlhood as advocated by the foremost organizationsof America form the background for these stories and while unobtrusivethere is a message in every volume. 

1. THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS

or Winning the First B. C. 

A story of the True Tred Troop in a Pennsylvania town. Two runaway girls, who want to see the city, are reclaimed through troop influence. Thestory is correct in scout detail. 

2. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE

or Maid Mary's Awakening

The story of a timid little maid who is afraid to take part in othergirls' activities, while working nobly alone for high ideals. How she wasdiscovered by the Bellaire Troop and came into her own as "Maid Mary"makes a fascinating story. 

3. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST

or The Wig Wag Rescue

Luna Land, a little island by the sea, is wrapt in a mysteriousseclusion, and Kitty Scuttle, a grotesque figure, succeeds in keeping allothers at bay until the Girl Scouts come. 

4. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG

or Peg of Tamarack Hills

The girls of Bobolink Troop spend their summer on the shores of LakeHocomo. Their discovery of Peg, the mysterious rider, and the clearing upof her remarkable adventures afford a vigorous plot. 

5. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE

or Nora's Real Vacation

Nora Blair is the pampered daughter of a frivolous mother. Her dislikefor the rugged life of Girl Scouts is eventually changed to appreciation, when the rescue of little Lucia, a woodland waif, becomes a problem forthe girls to solve. 

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THE CURLYTOPS SERIES

By HOWARD R. GARISAuthor of the famous "Bedtime Animal Stories"12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colorsPrice per volume, 65 cents, postpaid

1. THE CURLYTOPS AT CHERRY FARM

or Vacation Days in the Country

A tale of happy vacation days on a farm. 

2. THE CURLYTOPS ON STAR ISLAND

or Camping out with Grandpa

The Curlytops camp on Star Island. 

3. THE CURLYTOPS SNOWED IN

or Grand Fun with Skates and Sleds

The Curlytops on lakes and hills. 

4. THE CURLYTOPS AT UNCLE FRANK'S RANCH

or Little Folks on Ponyback

Out West on their uncle's ranch they have a wonderful time. 

5. THE CURLYTOPS AT SILVER LAKE

or On the Water with Uncle Ben

The Curlytops camp out on the shores of a beautiful lake. 

6. THE CURLYTOPS AND THEIR PETS

or Uncle Toby's Strange Collection

An old uncle leaves them to care for his collection of pets. 

7. THE CURLYTOPS AND THEIR PLAYMATES

or Jolly Times Through the Holidays

They have great times with their uncle's collection of animals. 

8. THE CURLYTOPS IN THE WOODS

or Fun at the Lumber Camp

Exciting times in the forest for Curlytops. 

9. THE CURLYTOPS AT SUNSET BEACH

or What Was Found in the Sand

The Curlytops have a fine time at the seashore. 

10. THE CURLYTOPS TOURING AROUND

or The Missing Photograph Albums

The Curlytops get in some moving pictures. 

11. THE CURLYTOPS IN A SUMMER CAMP

or Animal Joe's Menagerie

There is great excitement as some mischievous monkeys break out of AnimalJoe's Menagerie. 

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THE RUBY AND RUTHY SERIES

by MINNIE E. PAULL12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid. 

Four bright and entertaining stories told in Mrs. Paull's happiest mannerare among the best stories ever written for young girls, and cannot failto interest any between the ages of eight and fifteen years. 

RUBY AND RUTHY

Ruby and Ruthie were not old enough to go to school, but they certainlywere lively enough to have many exciting adventures, that taught manyuseful lessons needed to be learned by little girls. 

RUBY'S UPS AND DOWNS

There were troubles enough for a dozen grown-ups, but Ruby got ahead ofthem all, and, in spite of them, became a favorite in the lively times atschool. 

RUBY AT SCHOOL

Ruby had many surprises when she went to the impossible place she heardcalled a boarding school, but every experience helped to make her astronger-minded girl. 

RUBY'S VACATION

This volume shows how a little girl improves by having varieties ofexperience both happy and unhappy, provided she thinks, and is able touse her good sense. Ruby lives and learns. 

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