[Frontispiece: Their houseboat vacation had begun. ]

Madge Morton, Captain of the Merry Maid

By

AMY D. V. CHALMERS

Author of Madge Morton's Secret, Madge Morton's Trust, Madge Morton'sVictory. 

PHILADELPHIA

HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY HOWARD E. ALTEMUS

PRINTED IN THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS

CHAPTER. 

 I. MADGE MORTON'S PLAN II. CHOOSING A CHAPERON III. THE SEARCH FOR A HOUSEBOAT IV. THE FAIRY'S WAND V. ALL ABOARD VI. PLEASURE BAY VII. THE UNKNOWN JAILER VIII. AN ANXIOUS NIGHT IX. THE GIRL ON THE ISLAND X. AN EXCITING RACE XI. AT THE MERCY OF THE WAVES XII. A BRAVE FIGHT XIII. LIFE OR DEATH? XIV. MADGE COMES INTO HER OWN AGAIN XV. A CALL FOR HELP XVI. THE ATTEMPTED RESCUE XVII. THE CAPTURE XVIII. ON A STRANGE SHORE XIX. FINDING A WAY TO HELP MOLLIE XX. MADGE'S OPPORTUNITY XXI. MOLLIE'S BRAVE FIGHT XXII. THE EVIL GENIUS XXIII. "MOTHER" XXIV. FAREWELL TO THE "MERRY MAID"

List of Illustrations

Their houseboat vacation had begun . . . Frontispiece. 

Madge and Tom went gayly down to the boat. 

The girls ran down to the water's edge. 

"I wish you to come and live with me, Madge. "

Madge Morton, Captain of the Merry Maid

CHAPTER I

MADGE MORTON'S PLAN

"I never can bear it!" cried Madge Morton excitedly, throwing herselfdown on her bed in one of the dormitories of Miss Tolliver's SelectSchool for Girls. "It is not half so bad for Eleanor. She, at least, is going to spend her holiday with people she likes. But for UncleWilliam and Aunt Sue to leave for California just as school closes, andto send me off to a horrid old maid cousin for half my vacation, isjust too awful! If I weren't nearly seventeen years old, I'd cry myeyes out. "

Madge was alone in her bedroom, which she shared with her cousin, Eleanor Butler. The two girls lived on an old estate in Virginia, butfor the two preceding terms they had been attending a collegepreparatory school at Harborpoint, not far from the city of Baltimore. 

Madge had never known her own parents. She had been reared by herUncle William and Aunt Sue Butler and she dearly loved her old southernhome. But just when she and Eleanor were planning a thousand pleasuresfor their three months' vacation a letter had arrived from Mr. And Mrs. Butler announcing that they were leaving their estate for six weeks, asthey were compelled to go west on important business. Eleanor was tobe sent to visit a family of cousins near Charlottesville, Virginia, and Madge was to stay with a rich old maiden cousin of her father. Cousin Louisa did not like Madge. She felt a sense of duty toward her, and a sense of duty seldom inspires any real affection in return. SoMadge looked back on the visits she had made to this cousin with afeeling of horror. Inspired by her Aunt Sue, Madge had always tried tobe on her best behavior while she was the guest of Cousin Louisa. Butsince propriety was not Madge Morton's strong point she had succeededonly in being perfectly miserable and in offending her wealthy cousinby her unconventional ways. 

Madge had a letter from this cousin in her hand while she gave herselfup to the luxury of despair. She had not yet read the letter, but sheknew exactly what it would say. It would contain a formal invitationfrom Cousin Louisa, asking Madge to pay her the necessary visit. Itwould suggest at the same time that Madge mend her ways; and it woulddoubtless recall the unfortunate occasion when Mistress Madge had setfire to the bedclothes by her wicked habit of reading in bed. 

It was the study hour at Miss Tolliver's school, and all of the girlsexcept Madge were hard at work. Eleanor had slipped across the hall tothe room of their two chums to consult them about a problem in algebra. Madge at that moment was far too miserable to be approached in regardto a lesson, though at other times she would have done anything forEleanor. 

Finally Madge raised herself to a sitting posture. It struck her asrather absurd to have collapsed so entirely, simply because she was notto spend the first part of her summer as she chose. She knew, too, that it was high time she fell to preparing her lessons. 

With a little shiver she opened Cousin Louisa's letter. Suddenly hereyes flashed, the color glowed in her cheeks, and Madge dropped thenote to the floor with a glad cry and ran out of the room. 

On the door of her chums' room was a sign, printed in large letters, which was usually observed by the school girls. The sign read:"Studying; No Admittance. " But to-day Madge paid no attention to it. She flung open the door and rushed in upon her three friends. 

"Eleanor, Phyllis, Lillian, " she protested, "stop studying this veryminute!" She seized Eleanor's paper and pencil and closed LillianSeldon's ancient history with a bang. Phyllis Alden had just time tograsp her own notebook firmly with both hands before she exclaimed:"Madge Morton, whatever has happened to you? Have you gone entirelycrazy?"

Madge laughed. "Almost!" she replied. "But just listen to me, and youwill be nearly as crazy as I am. "

Madge had dark, auburn hair, which was curly and short, like a boy's. To her deep regret her long braids had been cut off several yearsbefore, when she was recovering from an attack of typhoid fever, andnow her hair was just long enough to tuck into a small knot on top ofher head. But when Madge was excited, which was a frequent occurrence, this knot would break loose, and her curls would fly about, like thehair of one of Raphael's cherubs. Madge had large, blue eyes, withlong, dark lashes, and a short, straight nose, with just the tiniesttilt at the end of it. Although she was not vain, she was secretlyproud of her row of even, white teeth. 

Phyllis Alden was the daughter of a physician with a large family, wholived in Hartford, Connecticut. Phil was not as pretty as her threefriends, and no one knew it better than Phyllis. She was small anddark, with irregular features. But she had large, black eyes, and asmile that illuminated her clever face. Put to the vote, Phyllis Aldenhad been declared to be the most popular girl in Miss Tolliver'sschool, and Phyllis and Madge were friendly rivals in athletics. 

Lillian Seldon was perhaps the prettiest of the four boarding schoolchums, if one preferred regular features to vivacity and charm. Lillian was of Madge's age, a tall, slender, blonde girl, with two longplaits of sunny, light hair, a fair, delicate skin and blue eyes. Shewas the daughter of a Philadelphia lawyer and an only child. A numberof her school companions thought her cold and proud, but her chums knewthat when Lillian really cared for any one she was the most loyalfriend in the world. Eleanor, who was the youngest of the four schoolfriends, looked like the little, southern girl that she was. She hadlight brown hair and hazel eyes, and charming manners which madefriends for her wherever she went. 

The three girls now waited with their eyes fixed inquiringly on thefourth. They were not very much excited; they knew Madge only toowell. She was either in the seventh heaven of bliss, or else in thedepths of despair. Yet this time it did look as though Madge had morereason than usual for her excitement. Eleanor wondered how she couldhave changed so quickly from her recent disconsolate mood. 

"What has happened to you, Madge?" Lillian inquired. "Eleanor said youwere upset because you are obliged to spend the first of your vacationwith your hateful Cousin Louisa. "

"Hateful? Did I ever dare to say that my Cousin Louisa was hateful?She is one of the loveliest women in this world! Just think! CousinLouisa has written to say that she can't have me, or rather won't haveme, visit her. She is going to shut up her house, and is going to sailfor Europe. I know it is just to escape my odious presence. "

"Why, Madge, what will you do?" Eleanor asked. "You've nowhere else togo. " You know how you hate those awful children at Charlottesville. "

"Wait, Eleanor Butler--wait!" Madge cried dramatically. "You do notknow what has happened, nor why I now truly love and adore the sameCousin Louisa whom I once thought I disliked. Just look here. " Madgewaved a small strip of paper in the air. "Cousin Louisa has sent me acheck for two hundred dollars! She says I am to spend the money on mysummer vacation in any way I like, provided Aunt Sue and Uncle Williamapprove. "

"But you can't go off traveling by yourself, " objected Eleanor. "Ishould think you would hate to spend your summer alone. "

"Alone!" Madge answered indignantly. "Who said I meant to spend myvacation alone? I want you three girls to spend the six weeks with me. Only last night Eleanor and I said that we four girls could never bereally happy anywhere without one another. "

"Generous Madge, " smiled Lillian affectionately. "Two hundred dollarsseems quite a fortune. Perhaps you ought not to spend it all. Wherecan we go, and what can we do?"

"Young ladies, " a stern voice spoke just outside the door, "kindlyremember this is the study hour. You are expected to keep silence. "

An unusual stillness fell on the four offenders. Only Madge's blueeyes flashed rebelliously. "It's that tiresome Miss Jones. You mightknow she would be somewhere about. She is the crossest teacher in thisschool. "

"Sh-sh, Madge, " Eleanor lowered her voice, "Miss Jones might hear you. She is ill, I am sure. That is what makes her so cross. Phil and Iare both sorry for her. "

"Oh, you and Phil are sorry for everybody. That's nothing! Thankgoodness, there is the bell! It is the recreation hour. Come, mybeloved chums, I simply must think of some way to spend our vacationand I never can think indoors. 'It is the merry month of May, '"caroled Madge. "Come, Phil, let us go down to the water and take Nelland Lillian rowing. It is a dream of an afternoon, all soft andsunshiny, and the river folk are calling us, the frogs, and the waterrats----"

"Dear me, Madge, " teased Phil, "do hush. We are glad enough to gorowing without an invitation from the frogs. We have two hours beforesupper time. Shall we ask poor Miss Jones to go with us? She does nothave much fun, and you know it is her duty to make us keep the rules. Miss Jones admires you very much, Madge. She said you were cleverenough to do anything you liked, if you would only try. But she knowsyou don't like her. "

"Then she knows the truth, " returned naughty Madge. "No, Phil, pleasedon't ask Miss Jones to come out with us this afternoon, there's adear. I told you I wanted to think. And I can think brilliantly onlywhen in the company of my beloved chums. "

Phyllis Alden and Madge Morton were good oarsmen. Indeed, they werealmost as much at home on the water as they were on land. Each girlwore a tiny silver oar pinned to her dress. Only the week before Madgehad won the annual spring rowing contest; for Miss Tolliver made aspecial point of athletics in her school, and fortunately the schoolgrounds ran down to the bank of a small river. 

Phil and Madge rowed out into the middle of the river with long, regular strokes. They were in their own little, green boat, called the"Water Witch. " Lillian sat in the stern, trailing her white hands idlyin the water. Eleanor sat quietly looking out over the fields. 

Suddenly Madge, who always did the most unexpected things in the world, locked her oars across the boat and sat up in her seat with a jerk thatrocked the little craft. 

"Girls, I have thought it all out!" she exclaimed. "I have the mostglorious, the most splendid plan you ever heard of in the world! Justwait until you hear it!"

"Madge, " Phil called in horror, "do sit down!" The boat was careeningperilously. Before Phil could finish her speech Madge had tumbled overthe side of the skiff and disappeared in the water below. 

The girls waited for their friend to rise to the surface. They werenot frightened, for Madge was an expert swimmer. 

"I am surprised at Madge, " declared Phil severely. "The idea ofplunging into the water in that fashion, not to mention almostcapsizing our boat! Why doesn't she come up?"

The second lengthened to a minute. Still Madge's curly head did notappear on the surface of the water. Eleanor's face turned white. Madge had on her rowing costume, a short skirt and a sailor blouse. She could easily swim in such a suit. But perhaps she had been seizedwith a cramp, or her head might have struck against a rock at thebottom of the river!

Lillian and Phil shared Eleanor's anxiety. "Sit still, girls, " saidPhyllis. "I must dive and see what has happened to Madge. If you arequiet, I can dive out of the boat without upsetting it. "

Phil slipped out of her sweater. But Eleanor caught at her skirts frombehind. "Sit down, Phil. Here comes that wretched Madge, swimmingtoward us from over there. She purposely stayed under water. "

The three friends looked in the direction, indicated by Phyllis. Theysaw Madge moving toward the boat as calmly as though she had been inher bathing suit and had dived off the skiff for pure pleasure. Shehad been swimming under the water for a little distance and had risenat a spot at which her friends were not looking. As she lifted herhead clear of the water a ray of the afternoon sunlight slanted acrossher face, touching its mischievous curves, until she looked like anaughty water-sprite. 

In an instant Madge's hands were alongside the boat, and Phil pulledher into it. "I am so sorry, girls, " she explained, shaking the water. Out of her hair; "but I had such a wonderful idea that it reallyknocked me overboard. I was afraid I would throw you all into theriver, so I jumped. But don't you want to know my plan? We are goingto spend the summer on the water!"

"In the water, you mean, don't you?" laughed Phyllis, as she wrappedher sweater about her friend. "Madge, will any one ever be able toguess what you are going to do next?"

"Just listen, girls, " Madge went on with shining eyes. "I have beendetermined, ever since I got my letter from Cousin Louisa, that wegirls should do something original for our summer vacation. And whileI was rowing peacefully along, without meaning to create a disturbance, it suddenly came to me that the most perfect way to spend a holidaywould be to live out on the water. First I thought we might just takethe 'Water Witch' and row along the river all summer, sleeping inhotels and boarding-places at night. But I know we must have achaperon; and meals and things would make it cost too much. Then itoccurred to me that we could get a boat big enough to live in by dayand sleep in by night--a canal boat, or something----"

"Madge Morton!" cried Phil, clapping both hands, "you are a goose, butsometimes I think you are a genius as well. You mean you can rent ahouseboat with your money and we can truly spend our vacation togetherout on the water. I never heard of such a splendid plan in my life. "

Madge gave a little shiver, half from the cold and half from happiness. She was beginning to feel the chill of her wet clothing. 

"Eleanor, Phyllis, Lillian, " she said impressively. "I hereby inviteyou to spend six weeks of your vacation aboard a houseboat. Now, thenext thing to be done is to find one. "

CHAPTER II

CHOOSING A CHAPERON

Madge Morton walked into the school library with a grave expression onher usually laughing face. She had two letters in her hand, which sheintended putting into the school post-bag, that was always kept in thelibrary. One of the letters she had written to her uncle and aunt, explaining her houseboat scheme in the most sensible and matter-of-factfashion; for Madge knew that the fate of the four chums depended, first, on what Mr. And Mrs. Butler thought of their niece's idea. Ifthey disapproved, Madge was certain that she could never be happyagain, for there was no other possible way of spending Cousin Louisa'sgift that would give her any pleasure. Madge's second letter wasdirected to a boy cousin, who was at college in Baltimore. Sheexplained that she expected to rent a houseboat for the summer, and sheasked her cousin to give her the address of places in Baltimore wheresuch a boat could be hired. She wished it to cost the smallest sum ofmoney possible, for Eleanor had suggested that even houseboat girlsmust eat. Indeed, the water was likely to make them especially hungry. If all the two hundred dollars went for the houseboat, what were theyto do for food?

Madge's sole fortune was just ten dollars a month, which she used forher dress allowance. Her uncle and aunt were not rich, but they werepaying for her education, and Madge knew she was expected to make herown living as soon as she was old enough. Mr. And Mrs. Butler hadhoped she would become a teacher, for they held the old-fashionedsouthern belief that teaching school was the only avenue open to thewoman who was forced by necessity to make her own living. 

Madge, however, had decided, a long time before, that she would muchrather die than teach. She would do anything but that. Just atpresent her poverty was very inconvenient. Madge was generous to afault, and she would have liked nothing better than to finance royallytheir proposed trip. She vowed mentally to rise to the occasion, eventhough the way to do it was not yet clear. 

Prudent Eleanor had also asked her whom she meant to invite to act astheir chaperon. So it was of this chaperon that Madge was thinkingwhile she was in the act of mailing her letters. 

Down in Virginia, on a big place next to her uncle's, was a girl whomshe had decided would make an ideal chaperon. She was as fond of larksas was Madge herself. She could fish, ride, swim and shoot a riflewhen necessary. Moreover, she was so beautiful and aristocratic thatMadge always called her the "Lady of Quality. " It was true she couldnot cook nor wash dishes, nor do anything practical, and she was onlytwenty-two. Still, Madge thought she would be a perfectly delightfulchaperon and was sure the girls would love her. Madge's red lipsunconsciously formed the letter O, and before she knew what she wasdoing she was whistling from sheer pleasure. 

"Miss Morton, " the cold voice that was unpleasantly familiar to thegirl's ears came from behind a chair, "do you not know that whistlingis against the rules of the school? You are one of the older girls. Miss Tolliver depends on you to set the younger pupils a good example. I fear she is sadly disappointed. "

"You mean you are sadly disappointed, Miss Jones, " replied Madgeangrily. "Miss Tolliver has not said she was disappointed in me. Whenshe is she will probably tell me herself. "

Madge knew she should not speak in this rude fashion to her teacher, but she was an impetuous, high-spirited girl who could not bearcensure. Besides, she had a special prejudice against Miss Jones. Shewas particularly homely and there was something awkward and repellantin her manner. Worshipping beauty and graciousness, Madge could notforgive her teacher her lack of both. Besides, Madge did not entirelytrust Miss Jones. Still, the girl was sorry she had made her impolitespeech, so she stood quietly waiting for her teacher's reproof, withher curly head bent low, her eyes mutinous. 

She waited an instant. When she looked up, to her dismay she saw thatthe eyes of her despised teacher were full of tears. 

"I wonder why you dislike me so, Miss Morton?" Miss Jones inquiredsadly. 

Madge could have given her a dozen reasons for her dislike, but she didnot wish to be disagreeable. "I am dreadfully sorry I was so rude toyou, " she murmured. 

"Oh, it does not matter. Nothing matters, I am so unhappy, " Miss Jonesreplied unexpectedly. Just why Miss Jones should have chosen MadgeMorton for her confidante at this moment neither ever knew. Miss Joneshad a number of friends among the other girls in the school; but sheand this clever southern girl had been enemies since Miss Jones hadfirst taken charge of the English History class and had reproved Madgefor helping one of the younger girls with her lesson. Miss Jones'sconfession had slipped out involuntarily. Now she put her head down onthe library table and sobbed. 

With any other teacher, or with any of the girls, Madge might havecried in sympathy. Somehow, she could not cry with Miss Jones. Shefelt nothing save embarrassment. 

"What is the matter?" she asked slowly. 

Miss Jones shook her head. "It's nothing. I am sorry to have givenway to my feelings. I have had bad news. My doctor has just writtenme that if I don't spend the summer out-of-doors, I am in danger ofconsumption. " Miss Jones uttered the dreadful word quite calmly. 

Madge gave a low cry of distress. She thought of the number of timesshe had made fun of her teacher's flat chest and stooping shoulders andof her bad temper. After all, Eleanor had been right. Illness hadbeen the cause of Miss Jones's peculiarities. 

"Miss Jones, " Madge returned, her sympathies fully enlisted, "you mustnot feel so troubled. I am sure you will soon be all right. Justthink how strong you will grow with your long summer holidayout-of-doors. You must dig in the garden, and ride horseback, and playtennis, " advised Madge enthusiastically, remembering her own happysummers at "Forest House, " the old Butler home in Virginia. 

Miss Jones shook her head wistfully as she rose to leave the room. "Iam afraid I can't have the summer in the country. I have only a sisterwith whom to spend the summer, and she lives in a little flat in thecity. She has a large family, and I expect to help her. My parentsare dead. "

"Then why don't you go into the country to board somewhere?" flashedfrom Madge's lips unexpectedly. A moment after she was sorry she hadasked the question, for a curious, frightened expression crossed herteacher's face. 

Miss Jones hesitated. "I have had to use the money I have made by myteaching for--for other purposes, " she explained, in the stiff, coldmanner that seemed so unattractive to gracious, sunshiny Madge. "I amsorry to have worried you with my troubles, " Miss Jones said again. "Please forgive me and forget what I have told you. I shall probablydo very well. "

Madge went slowly back to her room in a most unhappy frame of mind. She knew a way in which Miss Jones would be able to spend her summerout-of-doors, and perhaps grow well and strong again. She could beinvited to chaperon the houseboat party. She knew her friends wouldimmediately agree to the idea. They liked Miss Jones far better thanshe did. Even if they had not liked her, sympathy would have inspiredthem to extend the invitation. It was she alone who would hesitate. Of course, she never expected to be as good as her friends. So Madgeargued with herself. It was too dreadful to give up the idea of askingher adored "Lady of Quality" to act as their guardian angel. Madgedecided she simply could not make the sacrifice. Then, too, she didnot even know whether her uncle and aunt would consent to the houseboatparty. It would be time enough afterward to deliver her lastinvitation. 

For two days, which seemed intolerably long to impatient Madge Morton, the four friends waited to hear their fate from Mr. And Mrs. Butler. 

On the third morning a letter addressed to Madge in Mrs. Butler'shandwriting was handed to her while she and her chums were atbreakfast. In her great excitement her hands trembled so that shecould hardly finish her breakfast. "Here, Eleanor, " Madge finallyfaltered, as the four girls left the dining room to go upstairs, "youtake the letter and read it to us, please do. Positively I haven't thecourage to look at it. I feel almost sure that Aunt Sue will say wecan't go on our houseboat trip. "

Lillian put her hand affectionately on Madge's arm, while Phil stoodnext to Eleanor. 

"My dear Madge, " the letter began, "I think your houseboat plan for thesummer a most extraordinary one. I never heard of young girlsattempting such a holiday before. I can not imagine how you happenedto unearth such a peculiar idea. "

Madge gave a gasp of despair. She felt that the tone of her Aunt Sue'sletter spelled refusal. But Eleanor read on: "Like a good many of yourunusual ideas, this houseboat scheme seems, after all, to be rather aninteresting one. Your uncle and I have talked over your letter andEleanor's. We do not wish you and Eleanor to be separated, and we dowish you both to have the happiest holiday possible, as we are quitesure you have earned it. So, if you can find a suitable chaperon, weare willing to give our consent to your undertaking. We had intendedto pay twenty-five dollars a month board for Eleanor with her cousinsat Charlottesville, so we shall be glad to contribute that sum towardthe provisioning of the house-boat. "

There was a dead silence in the room when Eleanor at last finishedreading the letter. For half a minute the four chums were too happy tospeak. Then there was a united sigh of relief. 

"Oh, I shall never be able to survive it! It is too much joy for oneday!" cried the irrepressible Madge, dancing around in a circle anddragging Lillian Seldon, whose arm was linked in hers, with her. 

Lillian and Phyllis had received their parents' consent, by letter, theday before and had already agreed that their respective monthlyallowances should be placed in the general fund. 

"Be still, Madge, " begged Eleanor. "You are so noisy that you driveall thought from our heads. The first thing for us to consider iswhere we shall find a chaperon. "

"No; the first thing to do is to find the house-boat. O Ship of ourDreams! tell us, dear Ship, where we can find you?" cried Phyllis Aldenlongingly. She was looking past her friends with half-closed eyes. Already she was, in the land of her imagination, in a beautiful whiteboat, floating beside an evergreen shore. The little craft wasfurnished all in white, with dainty muslin curtains hung at the tinycabin windows. Flowers encircled the decks and trailed over the sidesinto the clear water. And on the deck of the little boat, lying orsitting at their ease, she could see herself and her friends. 

"Wake up, Phil! Come back to earth, please, " teased Madge, giving herusually sensible friend a sudden pinch. "I am going downstairs now toask Miss Tolliver if we can go into Baltimore day after to-morrow. Wemust find our houseboat at once. School is so nearly over MissTolliver will be sure to let us go. "

"But the chaperon, Madge, " reminded Eleanor. "We haven't decided onone, you know. "

"I have thought of a chaperon, if you girls are willing to have her, "said Madge almost hesitatingly. 

"Well, " cried the other three voices in chorus, "who is it? Tell ussometime to-day!"

"Miss Jones!" declared Madge, a note of defiance in her voice. "I'mgoing to invite her now before I have time to change my mind. I'llexplain later. " Springing from her chair, she ran from the room, leaving her three friends to stare at each other in silent amazement. 

CHAPTER III

THE SEARCH FOR A HOUSEBOAT

"Eleanor Butler, do hurry!" urged Madge two days later. "If we missthe train, I feel I shall never forgive you. " The two girls werepreparing for their trip to Baltimore. 

"Let me alone, Madge, " Eleanor returned. "If you will stay out of theroom for ten minutes, I promise to be ready. You've talked so much inthe last half hour that I haven't known what I was doing and I don'tknow now. You had better make another call upon Miss Jones. She iseven more enthusiastic about your old houseboat scheme than you are. "Eleanor laughed as Madge disappeared in the direction of Miss Jones'sroom. 

"You must wish with all your heart that we shall find the houseboatto-day, Miss Jones, " declared Madge in her impulsive fashion. "Yousee, everything depends on our not having to waste any time. Thesooner we find our boat, the sooner we can begin our delightfulvacation. "

Miss Jones smiled. She was beginning to understand the impetuous Madgebetter than she had ever dreamed of knowing her, and she was verygrateful for her invitation. Miss Jones was fairly well aware of howmuch it had cost her pupil to ask her. "Yes, I shall be thinking ofyou girls every minute, " she declared. "Let me see. This is thetwenty-fifth of May. School will close in another week. You girlswish to spend a week at home with your parents and relatives; but justas early in June as possible we are to go aboard our houseboat. Thatis our plan, isn't it, Madge?"

Madge nodded. Then, as she heard Phil and Lillian calling her, shewaved a hasty farewell and darted from the room. 

Madge had received a letter from the boy cousin who was at school inBaltimore. He had given her several addresses in Baltimore where therewas just a bare chance that she might find a ready-to-use houseboat. He assured her, however, that houseboats were usually made to order, and that she might find some difficulty in securing what she wished, and must, therefore, not become easily discouraged. 

Just before noon the four young women arrived in Baltimore on theirquest for a house-boat. Lillian and Eleanor demanded their luncheon atonce, but Phil and Madge protested against eating luncheon so early. "You can't be hungry already, " argued Madge. "As for me, I shall neverbe able to eat until we find our boat. "

For two hours the girls tramped about the boat yards in search of theirtreasure. They saw canoes and motor boats of every size and kind, andmodels of private yachts, but not a trace of a houseboat could theyfind. The representatives of the various boat companies whom theyinterviewed suggested the building of a houseboat at a cost of anywherefrom six hundred to a thousand dollars. 

Lillian and Eleanor were the first to complain of being tired. ThenPhil, who was usually the sweetest-tempered of the four girls, began toshow signs of irritability. Madge, however, undaunted and determined, would not think of giving up the search. 

"Just one more place, girls, " she begged; "then we can rest and haveour luncheon somewhere. This is a very large ship-building yard we aregoing to. I am sure we can find our boat there. "

Half an hour later the four chums turned wearily away from anotherfruitless quest. They were now in a part of Baltimore which none ofthem had ever seen before. A few blocks farther down the street theycould see the line of the water and the masts of several sailingvessels that were lying near the shore. 

"I tell you, Madge Morton, " declared Phyllis Alden firmly, "whether ornot we ever find a houseboat, there is one thing certain: I positivelymust have something to eat. I am half starved. What good wouldfinding the boat do me if I were to die of hunger before I have evenseen it?"

"Please don't be cross, Phil, " soothed Madge. "I am sure we are all ashungry as you are. I am awfully sorry. We ought to have eatenluncheon before we came here. There isn't a restaurant in sight. "

"I am sure I saw the sign of a funny little restaurant as we came bythe corner, " broke in Lillian. "It did look queer, but I suppose itwould not be any harm for us to go in there. "

"We don't care if it does look queer, " declared Phyllis stoutly. 

Turning, the girls retraced their steps to the corner. 

Outside the swinging door of the small restaurant they hesitated. "Idon't think we ought to go in there, " argued Eleanor, "it is such adreadfully rough-looking place. "

It was indeed a very common eating house, where the men who worked onthe wharves, the fishermen and sailors, were in the habit of gettingtheir meals. The one dirty window showed half a dozen live crabscrawling about inside among the pieces of sea-weed. A row of old piesformed the background. 

A moment later they had marched bravely up to the door. Dainty Eleanorshuddered as they crossed the threshold, and even Phil and Madgehesitated as a man's coarse laugh greeted them once they were fairlyinside the restaurant room. 

"Come on, children, " said Madge, with a pretence of bravery she was farfrom feeling. "We are going into this restaurant to get something toeat. Don't look as if you thought you were going to be eaten. It israther horrid, but perhaps they will let us have some bread and milk. "

The quartette seated themselves at the first table they saw vacant. Just across from it were a number of men with rough, hard faces. Theywere evidently sailors from the nearby boats. The girls kept theireyes on the table, and Madge gave their order for tea and sandwiches ina low tone to the German boy who came forward to wait on them. 

When the boy had departed with their order a silence settled upon thelittle group of girls. In each girl's mind was the thought that it hadbeen unwise to enter the restaurant. By this time they had come to arealization of the fact that they were the only women in the room. 

"We ought never to have come here, " whispered Lillian, clutchingMadge's arm. 

"Nonsense, " returned Madge bravely, "we have as much right here as anyof these men. "

"But I'd rather not stay, " persisted Lillian. 

"Didn't you say you were hungry?" asked Madge pointedly. 

"Ye-es, " hesitated Lillian, "but I just can't stay here. "

"Nor I, " chimed in Eleanor. 

Madge looked appealingly at Phyllis, who shook her brown headdeprecatingly. "I don't believe we ought to stay here, Madge. "

"You, too, Phil!" exclaimed Madge impatiently. "All right, Misses'Fraid Cats, ' we'll go. Here comes our luncheon, too. "

The girls glanced quickly at the rosy-faced lad who came up at thatmoment with their order on a tray. 

"I'm so hungry, " sighed Phil. "Perhaps we'd better----"

"So glad you've changed your mind, " commented Madge rather satirically. "But what about you, Lillian and Eleanor?"

"Let's stay this once, but next time we'll be more careful where welunch, " smiled Eleanor. 

"I take back all I said about 'Fraid Cats, '" laughed Madge. "We'llhurry through our luncheon and leave here the moment we finish. Afterall, as long as we are to become seasoned mariners we shall have tolearn to accustom ourselves to the vicissitudes of a sailor's life. "

"But we can't be 'seasoned mariners' until we find our houseboat, "reminded Lillian. "It doesn't look as though we'd find it to-day, either. "

"We must, " was Madge's emphatic response. "Here we have been worryinglike mad about this restaurant not being a proper place in which to eatour luncheon, while the really important question of where we are tofind our boat hasn't troubled us. We must go out of here saying, 'Weshall find it, we shall find it, ' and then I believe we can't help butrun across it. " Madge's blue eyes were alight with purpose andenthusiasm. 

"Good for you, Madge, " laughed Phil. "Come on, girls. Let us finishour tea and renew our search. "

It was half-past three in the afternoon when they left the littlerestaurant. The four girls were to spend the night in Baltimore with afriend of Miss Tolliver's, who kept a boarding-place. As they were inthe habit of staying with Miss Rice when they came into Baltimore to dotheir shopping, Miss Tolliver had, for once, after many instructions, permitted the girls to go into town without a chaperon. 

"Miss Rice said we did not have to be at her house until half-past fiveo'clock, " Phil volunteered, "so what shall we do?"

"There is a little park down there near the water, " Lillian pointedahead. "Suppose we sit down there for a few minutes until we decidewhere to go next?"

It was a balmy, sunshiny May day. While the girls rested on the parkbenches they could see, far off, a line of ships sailing up the bay andalso the larger freight steamers. They were near one of the quietcanals that formed an inlet from the great Chesapeake Bay. Lining thebanks of the canal were numbers of coal barges and canal boats. 

On the deck of a canal boat a girl came out with a bundle of clothes inher arms. She was singing in a high, sweet voice as she hung them on aline strung across the deck of the boat. 

The girls watched her silently as she flitted back and forth, and shesang on, unconscious of her audience. She was singing a boat songwhich the men chant as they row home at the close of day. The pathosin the woman's voice was so exquisite, its notes so true, that Madge'sblue eyes filled with tears. None of the four friends stirred untilthe song was over, and the girl in her faded calico dress and bare feethad disappeared into the cabin of the boat. 

"We call those boats shanty boats down in Virginia, " Eleanor said; "Isuppose because the little cabin on the deck of the canal boat looks solike a shanty. "

"People live on those shanty boats, " announced Madge. 

"Yes, we have noticed it, my dear girl, " Phil responded dryly. Butthere was a question in her eyes as she looked at Madge. 

"Shanty boats do not look exactly like house-boats, " went on Madgespeculatively. 

"I should say not, " returned Phil. "There is considerable difference. "

"But they might be made to look more like them. Don't you believe so?"

Phil nodded. 

"They are awfully dirty, " was dainty Lillian's sole comment. 

"Soap and water, child, is a sure cure for dirt, " replied Madge, stillin a brown study. Then she sprang to tier feet and almost ran out ofthe little park, nearly to the edge of the canal. Her friends followedher. There was no doubt that Madge had an idea. 

"Girls!" exclaimed Madge fervently, pointing toward one of the shantyboats, "first look there; then shut your eyes. With your eyes open yousee only an ugly canal boat; with them closed, can't you see ourhouseboat?"

"Not very well, " replied Lillian without enthusiasm. 

"Well, I can, " asserted Madge with emphasis. 

Then her quick eyes wandered toward a man who was coming slowly up thepath along the canal. 

"Please, " she asked breathlessly, stepping directly in front of him, "do you know whether any of the people along here would be willing torent me a canal boat?"

The man stared in amazement at this strange request. "Can't say as Iknows of any one, " he answered, "but I kin find out fer ye. It may besome of the water folks goes inland for the summer. If they does, they'd like as not rent you their boat. "

"Then I will come down here to-morrow at nine o'clock to find out, "arranged Madge. "Please be sure to be here. "

"What did I tell you!" exulted Madge as they left the little park a fewminutes later and made their way to the street car. "I am going todraw a plan to-night to show how easy it will be to turn one of theseold canal boats into our beautiful 'Ship of Dreams. ' By this time nextweek we'll know something about the 'vicissitudes' of a sailor's lifeor my name is not Madge Morton. "

CHAPTER IV

THE FAIRY'S WAND

"You are a direct gift of Providence, Jack Bolling, " declared Madge thenext morning, shaking hands with her cousin, in the parlor of MissRice's boarding house. "How did you happen to turn up here?"

"Well, I unexpectedly had a day off from college, " explained Jack. "SoI just telephoned to Miss Tolliver to ask whether I might come to seeyou, like the well-behaved cousin I am. She replied that you were intown and that I might come to see you. So here I am! What luck haveyou had?"

"None at all at the old places you recommended, " Madge returnedscornfully and in a most ungrateful fashion. 

"Oh, I knew a girl couldn't find the right sort of boat without afellow to help her, " Jack teased, knowing Madge's aversion to the ideathat a girl couldn't do anything she liked, unless with the help of aboy. 

"Just you come along with us, Jack, and we will show you what we havefound, " invited Madge. "I think the girls are ready. We are. Herecome Eleanor and Lillian. Miss Lillian Seldon, I wish to present mycousin, Mr. Jack Bolling. Where is Phil?"

While Lillian, looking unusually lovely in her gown of pale lavenderorgandie, with a cream-colored hat covered with violets, was shakinghands with Jack, Phyllis Alden came down the hall with a slight frownon her face. 

Hadn't she and Madge vowed within themselves and to each other never toask a man's help in anything they planned to do? And here was Madgeintroducing her cousin into their plan the very first chance she had. But in this Phil was mistaken. 

Madge had made no explanations to Jack, and her cousin asked her noquestions as the party started on their walk. When they came to theline of canal boats that the girls had seen the afternoon before a haltwas made. 

"There is our houseboat!" cried Madge, waving her hand toward the halfdozen disreputable looking canal boats huddled close together. 

"Where?" asked Jack in amazement. 

"Oh, I don't know just exactly where, " returned Madge with twinklingeyes. "Everyone look here, please. " She took two large squares ofwhite paper out of her bag. "You see, it is this way, Jack: We foundthat to rent a houseboat takes such a lot of money that we decidedyesterday, to try to turn one of these old canal boats into ahouseboat, and I have drawn the plans of what I think ought to be done. "

Madge, who had a decided talent for drawing, had sat up late into thenight to make her two sketches. One pictured the shanty boat as itwas, dingy and dirty, with a broken-down cabin of two rooms at thestern. In the second drawing Madge's fairy wand, which was her gift ofimagination, had quite transformed the ugly boat. The deck of thecanal boat was about forty feet long, with a twelve-foot beam. To thetwo rooms, which the ordinary shanty boat contains, she had addedanother two, forming an oblong cabin, with four windows on each sideand a flat roof. The flat roof formed the second deck of theprospective houseboat. It had a small railing around it, and a pair ofsteps that led up from the outside to the upper deck. Madge haddecorated her fairy ship with garlands of flowers that hung far overthe sides of the deck. 

Jack Bolling looked at the drawing a long time without saying a word. 

"Don't you think it can be done, Jack?" inquired Madge eagerly. "Yousee, this old boat could be cleaned and painted, and any good carpentercould put up the extra rooms. "

"Right you are, Madge, " Jack answered at last, making a low bow. "Hatsoff to the ladies, as usual. Who is that queer-looking customer comingthis way?"

"He is the man who is to see about our canal boat, " answered Phil, asthough they were already in possession. 

Madge had gone forward. "Have you found the boat for us?" sheinquired. "I simply can't wait to find out. "

The man grinned. "There is one towed alongside of mine that you mightbe able to git. I had a hard time finding it. "

"That is all right, " declared Jack, stepping forward, "you will be paidfor your work. Will you please take us out to look at the boat?"

"Got to cross my shanty to git to it, " the man replied, leading the wayacross a rickety gang-plank. 

There were three or four dirty children playing on the deck of his boatand a thin, yellow dog. At the open door of the shanty kitchen stoodthe figure of a girl. She had on the faded calico dress of the daybefore; she was barefooted and her hair was ragged and unkempt. But asJack Bolling and the four girls glanced idly at her a start of surpriseran through each one of these. Jack stopped for an instant, andinstinctively took off his hat. Phil Alden whispered in Madge's ear, "I never saw any one so beautiful in my life, " and Madge mutely agreed. 

The girl was smiling a wistful, far-away smile that was very touching. Her hair was the color of copper that has been burnished by the sun, and her eyes were the deep blue of the midsummer sky. The wind and sunhad tanned the girl's cheeks, but her skin was still fine and delicate. There was a strange, vacant expression in her eyes and a pathetic droopto her whole figure. 

"Git you back in there, Moll, " the owner of the shanty boat called outroughly. The girl started and quivered, as though she expected a blow. Jack's face turned hot with anger. But what could he do? The man wastalking to his own daughter. 

"Why did you speak to the poor girl like that?" asked Madge sharply. 

"She ain't all right in the top story, " the man answered. "She is kindof foolish. I have to keep a close watch on her. "

Madge turned pitying eyes on the demented girl, then as they steppedaboard the other canal boat, for the time she forgot the lovelyapparition she had just seen. 

"How much will the owner rent this boat for?" Madge asked at last, trying hard to conceal her enthusiasm. The boat was dirty and neededrenovating, but it was well built of good, strong timbers. 

"My friend is willing to sell this here boat for a hundred dollars, "said the fisherman, Mike Muldoon, hesitating as he mentioned the sum. 

It was all Madge could do to keep from clapping her hands for joy. Onehundred dollars for the boat--that left another hundred for paintingand remodeling and for other necessary expenses. 

Just as Madge was about to close with the man's offer a look from JackBolling interrupted her. 

"The boat is not worth a hundred dollars, " he declared decisively. "The young lady will give you fifty dollars for it, and not a centmore. "

The man laughed contemptuously. "I can't do it, " he said. "That boatis cheap at a hundred dollars. "

"At fifty, you mean, " retorted Jack stubbornly. 

The girls stood back quietly and allowed Jack to drive the bargain, which he did with so much spirit that the coveted boat was at last madeover to him at his price, fifty dollars. 

For the rest of the day the four girls spent their time interviewingcarpenters and painters. At last they found a man who promised todeliver the boat, rebuilt according to Madge's idea, at a little townseveral miles farther down the bay. The man owned a motor boat. Hewas to take the houseboat to a landing, where the girls could load itwith the necessary supplies, and then to tow them farther down the bay, until they found the ideal place for their summer holiday. 

"I declare, Madge, dear, I was never so tired, nor so happy in mylife, " declared Eleanor Butler late that afternoon, as the quartettewere on their way back to their school at Harborpoint. "I can see ourhouseboat, now, as plainly as anything. At first, Lillian and Icouldn't quite believe in your idea. "

Madge had heard Eleanor's comments but vaguely. She was doing a sum inmental arithmetic. "Fifty dollars for the old shanty boat, seventy-five for remodeling it, fifteen to the man for towing. " Hereshe became confused. But she still knew there was quite a large sum ofmoney left for buying the little furniture they needed and their storeof provisions. 

Phyllis Alden, too, had been busy calculating. "I think we can do it, Madge, " she said, leaning over from the back seat to speak to herfriend. 

"Of course we can. We shall have whole lots of money, " announced Madgetriumphantly. 

Phil shook her head. "I am afraid we won't. There is one thing wemust buy that will be expensive. "

Lillian straightened up. She had been leaning against the back of theseat, utterly worn out. The three girls gazed at Phil inconsternation. What was this new item of expense that threatened toeat up their little capital?

"Don't keep us in suspense, Phil, " laughed Eleanor. "What have weforgotten to buy?"

"A kitchen stove!" cried Phil dramatically. "And I know they must beawfully expensive. "

"What a goose you are, Phil, " said Lillian in a practical tone. "Wedon't want a kitchen stove. It would take up too much room. We needan oil stove or something like that. "

"Then I appoint you as a special committee to look into the stovequestion, Lillian, " laughed Madge. 

"I accept the appointment, " bowed Lillian, "and I won't waste ourcapital on kitchen ranges of elephantine proportions, either. "

During the next five days the four friends found plenty to occupy theirtime. Then Miss Tolliver's school closed, and Phil Alden hurried hometo her family in Hartford, Connecticut; Lillian returned to her home inPhiladelphia, while Madge and Eleanor departed to spend a week with Mr. And Mrs. Butler in their old home in Virginia. Miss Jones, however, remained at the school. She made one hurried trip into Baltimore, andon another occasion had a visitor, but the rest of the time she sewedindustriously; for on June the eighth a new experience was to behers--she was to begin her duties as chaperon to four adventurous girlsaboard their longed-for "Ship of Dreams. "

CHAPTER V

ALL ABOARD

Blue waves lapped idly against the sides of a little, white palace thathad risen out of the waves of the bay overnight. One side lay closealong a quiet shore. Overhead the leaves of a willow tree stirred inthe wind, and the birds twittered in its branches. The rosy flush wasjust fading out of the sky. Dawn had come only a short time before, and the wind, the waves and the birds were the only things stirring soearly in the morning. There was not a sound or a movement aboard theodd vessel that was moored to the shore. 

Along the shore sped the slender figure of a girl. It was a part ofthe morning. Her blue frock was the color of the sky and her auburnhair had been touched by the sun, and on her radiant face lay the gloryof youth. 

Of course, it was Madge! She did not stop when she first spied herhouseboat between the branches of the willow tree. She gave a littlegasp, and ran on faster than ever. A moment later she came alongsideher boat, which was only about three feet from the shore. Madge hadnot practised running and jumping in the gymnasium at school and on theold farm in Virginia for nothing. She gave one flying leap and landedon the deck of her houseboat. Then she stood perfectly still, a littlesong of gratitude welling from the depth of her happy heart. 

"Perhaps it was not fair in me to have run away from Eleanor, " shemused. "But then Nellie is such a sleepy-head, she never would havewished to get up so early. And I did want to see the boat alone, justfor a moment. I am not going to look into the cabin, though. I amgoing to wait for the other girls----"

A stone went whizzing by Madge's ear at this moment, causing hersoliloquy to come to an abrupt end. 

She glanced toward the shore. A small boy stood grinning at her, withhis hands tucked into a pair of trousers so much too long for him theyhad to be turned up from the ankles to the knees. 

"Hello, " he remarked cheerfully, eyeing Madge owlishly. 

"Hello yourself, " returned Madge. "Do you usually begin the day bythrowing stones at peaceful strangers?"

"Yes'm, " the small boy responded calmly. "Where'd you and that comefrom?"

"I came from my home in Virginia, and if by 'that' you mean my boat, itis a 'Ship of Dreams' and was towed up here from Baltimore yesterdayafternoon. What do you think of it?"

"She isn't a dream, she's a peach, " was the prompt retort. 

"I'm glad you like her, " smiled Madge in a winning fashion that causedthe lad to smile in return. "Why are you up so early in the morning?"

"Driving home the cows, " was the laconic answer. 

"I don't see any cows, " teased Madge. "Wait a minute. I havesomething for you to do. Would you like to earn a quarter? If youwould, then come back here about nine o'clock. We are going to loadour boat with some furniture and provisions, and we would like to haveyou help us. "

"All right, I'll be here, " promised the boy, and ran off into thebushes with a derisive grin which Madge did not see. 

A few moments later Madge went back to Eleanor to have breakfast at thelittle boarding house where she and her cousin had spent the night. Miss Jones, Lillian and Phil had not yet arrived, but they wereexpected by the early train that came from Baltimore. The littlevillage from which they intended to go aboard their houseboat was onlyabout half an hour's ride from the city, and was situated on one of thequiet inlets of the bay. 

Fifteen minutes before the train was due Eleanor and Madge wereimpatiently waiting at the station. The newcomers were so surroundedby bags, suit cases and mysterious packages that it took all the menabout the depot to land them safely on the platform. Madge gave theorder to the expressman to bring all their luggage to the houseboatlanding near the willow tree. Then the party started out to find theboat, without losing a minute by the way. 

Madge slipped her arm through that of Miss Jones and walked beside herdutifully, though she secretly longed to be with her chums. Lillian, Phil and Eleanor joined hands and ran ahead, without being in the leastdegree affected by the idea that they were no longer children. Madge, however, was the only one who knew the way. She hurried Miss Jonesalong until that young woman was almost out of breath. When they werewithin a short distance of the place where she had found her boatwaiting for her in the early morning, she could bear it no longer. With a murmured excuse she broke away from Miss Jones and started on arun toward the willow tree. Her three chums were close behind her. The branches of the willow tree seemed more impenetrable in the brightsunlight. It was not so easy to see through them. Madge ran straightpast the tree, then uttered a shrill cry. She stopped short, hercheeks turning first red, then white. 

"What is it?" cried Phil, springing to her friend's side. 

Madge pointed dumbly toward the water. 

"Tell us!" said Eleanor, running up to Madge and lightly grasping herarm. 

"Our houseboat is gone!" gasped Madge. "It was right there, tied tothat very post along the shore early this morning! The man who broughtit down from Baltimore left a note for me describing the landing place. He said he had to go back to Baltimore, but that he would come herethis afternoon to tow us. Now the boat has gone! O, girls, what shallwe do?"

The girls stared at the water in silence. Disappointment rendered themspeechless for the moment. "Let us look up and down the shore, "suggested Phil comfortingly. "I suppose it is just barely possiblethat the rope broke away from the stake, and the boat has floated offsomewhere. "

The four girls ran up and down the bank, straining their eyes inanxious glances out over the wide stretch of water. There was nohouseboat in sight. It had vanished as completely as though it hadreally been a "Ship of Dreams. "

"Perhaps you have made a mistake in the place, Madge, " was thechaperon's first remark as she joined the excited party. 

Madge compressed her red lips. Miss Jones was so provoking. She wasutterly without tact. But now that she was to be one of the party itwould be wrong to say a single impolite thing to their chaperon thewhole six weeks of their holiday, no matter how provoking or tactlessshe might he. Madge sighed impatiently, then turned to the teacher. 

"No, I am not mistaken, Miss Jones. I can't be. You see, I came tothis very spot this morning and went aboard our boat. Then I have theman's description of the landing place. I think we had better go backto the village and see if we can get some men who know the shore alonghere to come to help us look out for our boat. There is no use inhaving our furniture brought here if we haven't any houseboat, "finished Madge, her voice trembling. 

"Come along, then; I will go back with you, " volunteered Phil. "MissJones, you sit under the tree. Lillian, you and Nellie keep a sharplook-out. If any one comes along in a boat, ask him about ours. "

"Do you think our boat has gone forever, Phil?" asked Madge dejectedlyas the two companions walked wearily back over the road they hadtraveled so gayly a short time before. 

"I don't know, " replied Phil. "I should say it depended entirely uponwho had taken the trouble to spirit it away. "

While the two girls stood gazing moodily out over the bay a hard, greenapple landed with a thump on top of Madge's uncovered head. Madge andPhil looked up simultaneously. There in a gnarled old apple treedirectly above them appeared the grinning face of the small boy whoseacquaintance Madge had made earlier in the morning. 

"Lost your boat, ain't you?" he asked cheerfully. 

Madge nodded and walked on. She was not anxious to renew conversationwith the mischievous youngster. 

Phil, however, was seized with an inspiration. "Have you been aboutthis place very long?" she inquired casually. 

"Yep, " the boy returned. 

"Then, perhaps, you know what has become of our boat, " suggested Phil. 

"Yep, " answered the voice from the tree, "I know all about it. "

"Then tell us this minute what has become of it!" ordered Madge. "Iknew the moment I saw you that you were the very imp of mischief. Tellus where our boat is at once. "

"I won't tell, " the urchin spoke firmly. 

"You shall, " declared Madge, her eyes flashing. 

"I'd like to see you make me tell, " dared the boy. "A girl can't climba tree. " The grin on his impish face widened. 

"I'll show you that a girl _can_ climb a tree, young man, " exclaimedMadge hotly, making her way toward the tree. "I have climbed a goodmany more trees than you have ever climbed in your life. "

"Listen to me, Madge, " admonished Phil, laughing at her friend, "youcan't have a fight with a small boy in the top of a tree or shake himout of it. Don't allow him to tease you. Let's go on into the villageand get a policeman. Then, if the boy really knows anything about thedisappearance of our houseboat, the policeman will make him tell us. "Phil tried to make her voice sound as threatening as possible when shementioned the word "policeman. "

"I won't be here when you git back, " was the imp's cheerful response. 

Madge and Phil paid no further heed to him. They went on toward thetown. A few yards farther on they heard the patter of bare feet. "Can't you wait a minute?" a voice pleaded. "I was only teasing you. If you promise you won't give me away, I'll tell you what became ofyour old boat. My pa took it. "

"Your pa?" cried Madge in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"When I told Pa I'd seen a new-fangled kind of a boat hitched to ourpost, where we most generally ties up our own boat, he said you hadn'tno right to be there. So he just hitched up our mule and he come downhere and untied your boat and dragged it up shore. I run after himuntil I got too tired. Then I come back here to tell you, " ended theboy. 

"Where is your father?" Phil asked quietly. Madge's eyes were flashingdangerously, her temper was rising. 

"He's cutting hay, " the boy returned. "I'll show you the field andthen I'll run. "

Lillian and Eleanor had now joined the two girls to find out what wasdelaying them. Miss Jones still waited, disconsolate, under the willowtree. The four girls started out behind the one small boy, whoanswered to the name of Bill Jenkins, Jr. It was evident that BillJenkins, Sr. , was the name of the boat-thief. 

"What shall we say and do when we find the man?" asked Eleanoranxiously. "I suppose we had no right to tie our boat up at hislanding place without asking permission. "

Madge shook her head angrily. "Right or no right, I shall certainlytell him my opinion of him, " she said tensely. 

"You must not make the man angry, Madge, " argued gentle Eleanor, whoknew Madge's fiery, temper and stood in awe of it. "Perhaps, when hesees we are girls, he will be sorry he took our boat away and willbring it back for us. "

"Let us go and see him at once, " was Madge's sole response. 

After all, it was Eleanor's gentleness that won the day! She told thefarmer, whom they found in the hay field, the whole story of thehouseboat, and how they hoped to spend their holiday aboard it. 

"I declare, I'm real sorry I moved your houseboat, " he apologized. "IfI'd 'a' known the pretty toy boat belonged to a parcel of young girlslike you, I'd never have laid hands on it. You kin stay along my shoreall summer if you like. But no one asked my permission to tie the boatto my post. And soon as I seen it, I just thought the boat belonged tosome rich society folks who thought they owned the airth. I hid theboat up the bay a piece. But don't you fret. I'll go git it and toteit back in no time. "

"I am so sorry, " explained Madge prettily, ashamed of her bad temperand how near she had come to displaying it. "I thought, of course, theengineer who towed our boat out here from Baltimore had asked yourpermission before he made a landing. I suppose he was in such a hurryto get back to the city that he neglected it. "

While the girls and their chaperon waited for the return of theirhouseboat they ate an early luncheon out of the hampers that Phil andLillian had brought from their homes to provision the travelers for theday. 

The houseboat finally did appear, much as the girls had pictured her. She was painted white, with a line of green showing just above thewater. The four rooms in the cabin, which was set well toward thestern, opened into each other, and each room had a small door andwindow facing on the deck. The two bedrooms had six berths set alongthe walls. One room was intended for the kitchen and the fourth, whichwas the largest, was to serve as the dining room, sitting room, workand play room for the houseboat party on rainy days, when it wasimpossible for them to be out on deck. 

While the men were unloading the barrels and boxes on the boat thegirls ran in and out the doors of their cabin rooms like the figures ina pantomime, bumping into each other and stumbling over things. MissJones at last sent Eleanor and Lillian to the kitchen to drive nailsalong the wall and to hang up their limited display of kitchenutensils, while Phil and Madge helped with the unpacking. There wasone steamer chair, bought in honor of the chaperon, and a great manysofa cushions, borrowed from their rooms at school, to be used as deckfurniture. A barrel of apples, a barrel of potatoes and two Virginiahams were donations from the farm in Virginia. Mrs. Seldon, Lillian'smother, had also sent a store of pickles and preserves. 

Phil, too, had brought a big box from home, while Madge's own purchasesfor the houseboat included a small table, five chairs, besides thenecessary china and some of the bedding. The rest of the outfit thegirls managed to secure from their own homes. 

Miss Jones, Phil and Madge were industriously turning the berths intobeds when a sharp scream from Lillian, who was working in the kitchen, filled them with terror. Miss Jones arrived first at the kitchen door, with her heart in her mouth. Had some horrible disaster overtakenthem, just as they were about to start on their adventures? Therestood the two girls, Lillian and Eleanor, their faces, instead ofshowing fright, apparently shining with delight. The men who had beensetting up the little stove, which they had bought for a trifling sumafter all, had disappeared. The girls were now in full possession oftheir domain. 

"What is it, children? What has happened?" implored Miss Jones, with awhite, scared face. Lillian pointed ahead of her, but only the kitchenstove was to be seen. Madge and Phil, who had followed close behindtheir chaperon, were equally mystified. 

But hark! What was the noise they heard all at once? A gentlecrackling, a roar, a burst of flame, and a puff of smoke up through thelong stove pipe! The pipe went through a hole cut in the side of thewall. "A fire, a fire!" exclaimed Lillian joyously, wondering why theothers looked so startled. 

There was really a fire burning in the stove of the houseboat kitchen!And as a fire is a first sign to the pioneer that he is at last athome, so the little company felt themselves to be the original girlpioneers in houseboat adventures, and felt the same thrill of peace andpleasure. 

Madge seized the shining new tea-kettle and filled it with water fromthe big bucket that rested on a shelf just outside the kitchen door. 

 "Madge, put the kettle on, Madge, put the kettle on, We'll all take tea, "

She sang in a sweet, high, rapturous voice. 

Toot, toot, toot! a motor boat whistle sounded out on the water. Thefour girls rushed on deck to call a greeting to the engineer who was totow their houseboat down the bay, until it found an anchorage in a covein the bay near a stream of clear water. 

Four weary but happy girls sat out on deck on cushions as the engineermade fast to their boat preparatory to starting. The chaperon wasinstalled in the solitary grandeur of their one steamer chair. 

There was a heavy tug at the great rope that bound the houseboat to thelittle motor tug. The motor boat moved out into the bay, and withalmost no perceptible motion and no noise, except the gentle ripple ofthe water purling against the sides of the craft, the houseboatfollowed it. The longed-for vacation on the water had begun. 

CHAPTER VI

PLEASURE BAY

Just before twilight the boat reached a spot that seemed especiallycreated for the travelers. For two hours they had been silentlydrinking in the beauty of the sun-lit bay and the green earth. Theywere not in the main body of the great Chesapeake Bay, but in one ofthe long arms of the bay that reaches into the Maryland coast. 

"Look ahead of you, girls, to the left, " called Phyllis Alden, as theyglided slowly along. 

Miss Jones and the three girls looked. There, in a curve of the land, was a low bank, with great clusters of purple iris growing along it, among the slender, long, green stems of the "cat-tails. " An elm treestood close to the edge of the water, spreading its branches out overthe miniature sea. It was so strong, so big and enduring that it gavethe home-seeking girls a sense of protection. The elm's branches couldshelter them from the sun by day, and at night their boat could be tiedto its trunk. Farther up the bank the girls could see a comfortableold, gray, shingled farmhouse. The farm meant water, fresh eggs, milkand butter. 

Madge looked inquiringly at their chaperon, who nodded with anexpression of entire satisfaction. Next, Madge glanced about thesemi-circle of eager faces. "Shall we cast our anchor in PleasureBay?" she asked, and thus the pleasant little inland sea was named. 

Madge signaled to the motor boat ahead, and the engineer stopped. Hehad several passengers on board his motor boat, but the men had beeninside the saloon most of the time, and no one on board the houseboathad noticed them. 

Before the houseboat anchored Madge and Phil ran up the hill to ask atthe farmhouse for the privilege of making a landing. They had learneda lesson they were not likely to forget. 

Too tired to begin work, the girls ate their supper out of the luncheonbaskets, then sat about on deck, singing and talking until the starscame out and twinkled down on their little houseboat with a millionfriendly eyes; then, urged by their chaperon and their own heavy eyes, they crept into their berths. 

It was still night when Madge awakened with a start. She thought sheheard some one talking. "To whit! to whoo!" It was only the call of afriendly owl. Yet the night seemed curiously lonely. It was strangeto be asleep on the water instead of on the land! There was anotherweird sound, then something stirred outside on the deck of the boat. From her cabin window Madge could see the line of the shore. It wasquiet and empty. 

This time she heard the sound of a voice. Another voice answered it. Could it be possible that the second voice sounded like that of MissJones! What could have happened? Without pausing to put on her shoesMadge slipped into the next room. Eleanor lay breathing quietly in theupper berth and Miss Jones seemed to be asleep in the lower one. Butthe cover was drawn up almost to where her ears should be and Madgecould not see her face. 

She crept over to the chaperon's berth. It was necessary to waken MissJones and tell her of the mysterious sounds. She slipped her handalong the pillow in the dark. There was no response. She gropeddeeper under the covers. Still no movement or sound. Miss Jones wasnot in her berth. She was out on deck, talking to some one. Madgereturned to her room. She did not intend to call the other girls untilshe knew what was the trouble. Phyllis was always brave and so wereLillian and Eleanor, but in this instance they could do nothing. 

The girl stole softly to the cabin window and peeped out. She couldjust catch the outline of two figures that were standing well up towardthe bow of the boat. One was a woman's figure, with a shawl thrownover her head, but Madge was sure that she recognized the chaperon. Hurrying back to her berth she slipped on her steamer coat andslippers. She was trying every moment to fight down the distrust anddislike she had felt toward Miss Jones ever since their firstacquaintance. She was trying to tell herself that she had invitedtheir teacher to act as their chaperon from other motives, as well asfrom sympathy. But the finger of suspicion seemed to point plainlytoward the teacher. 

Madge walked quietly, and without any fear or hesitation, out on thedeck of the houseboat, straight toward the two shrouded figures in thebow. Neither of them heard her coming, but she heard Miss Jones'sdistressed plea: "Won't you go away, and never come here again. I tellyou, I can not do it. I simply can't----"

"Miss Jones, " Madge's voice, clear and cold, sounded almost in herchaperon's ear. 

The young woman turned so white that Madge could see her pallor in themoonlight. 

The figure with her was shrouded in a long, black coat which was pulledup about its face. At the first sound of Madge's voice it made for theextreme end of the boat. With a quick turn, Madge ran after theescaping form. As it poised itself for a leap toward the shore, Madgecaught at the cloak and dragged it away from the face, and for a briefinstant she saw the face of a boy a little older perhaps than she was. It was a wild and elfish face, while a pair of ears, ending almost inpoints, stuck up through the masses of thick, curly hair that coveredhis head. But before she could get a distinct impression of his facethe young man was gone, racing up the low embankment with great leaps, like a hunted deer. 

Madge turned to their chaperon, waiting for the latter to offer someexplanation. Miss Jones said nothing, but regarded Madge withdistressed eyes. 

"Who was your visitor? I did not know that any one knew we wereanchored here. We did not know, ourselves, that we were to land hereuntil we spied the place. Was that boy a stranger to you? Why didn'tyou call one of us if he frightened you?" Madge's tone was distinctlyunfriendly. 

Miss Jones only shook her head. Big tears were rolling down hercheeks. She was trembling so that Madge, much against her will, tookher by the arm and assisted her across the deck. 

"I can tell you nothing, Madge, " was the teacher's husky reply. "I amperfectly aware that you have a right to know. Still, I simply can'ttell you. But I can go away, if you like, and I will, as soon as youcan get some one else to chaperon you. Only I must ask you not to tellthe other girls what has happened to-night, or why I must leave you. You see, dear, " Miss Jones ended wistfully, "the other girls are fondof me. You never have been. I can not bear to lose their faith andtrust. "

There was a significant silence after this remark. 

"Did you really see who it was with me?" Miss Jones questionedanxiously. "Would you know the face if you saw it again?"

"I don't know, " was Madge's stiff reply, "but I believe I should. "

"Won't you promise me that you will not tell the other girls?" MissJones whispered, as they crossed the deck and came to the door of theirlittle cabin. "I am not asking you to do anything wrong, only askingyou to trust me and believe that I do not think I am doing a wrong bynot taking you into my confidence. "

"Very well, I will keep your secret, " returned Madge slowly. "I do notwish you to leave us, Miss Jones. I wish you to stay and take care ofus, just as you planned to do. "

"You are only saying that, dear, because you know I have no other placeto go for my holiday, and you are afraid my health will suffer. Youmust not think of my health. I can not stay with you just for my ownsake. "

"Then stay for ours, " said Madge shortly, and without further words shewent into the cabin and climbed into her berth. 

Sleep was far from weighing down her eyelids. She lay awake for sometime, wondering why clouds and distrust should so often spring up amonghuman beings when everything seemed arranged for their perfecthappiness. 

She generously made up her mind, however, never to trouble theirchaperon with questions about her mysterious visitor, but shedetermined to discover for herself who that boy was, and whether he hadcome aboard the boat to rob them. 

CHAPTER VII

THEIR UNKNOWN JAILER

"Madge Morton, what do you mean sleeping until seven o'clock, the firstmorning we are on our houseboat?" cried Phil, poking her head in thecabin door. "I would have awakened you before now, only Miss Joneswould not let me. Lillian and Eleanor have been waiting for you intheir bathing suits for a long while. Do let's have a salt waterplunge before breakfast. "

Springing from her berth, Madge made a dash for her bathing suit, whichshe had laid out the night before. 

The girls were over the side of the boat in a hurry, swimming about inthe water with gleeful shouts. The odor of frying bacon, which waspresently wafted to their nostrils from the door of the houseboatkitchen, was something the bathers were too hungry to resist, and withone accord, they swam toward their boat. 

It had been arranged that Miss Jones was to get the breakfast, Lillianand Eleanor the luncheon, and Phil and Madge, who were the mostambitious of the cooks, though not the most proficient, were to cookthe dinner. 

Madge noticed that Miss Jones looked whiter than usual, but the othergirls saw no difference in their chaperon as they clambered up over theside of the boat to get ready for breakfast. 

"Girls, " Miss Jones remarked, as she put down a big plate of cornmuffins before her hungry charges, "Phil accused me once of beingmysterious and never talking about myself. Well, I am going to make aconfession about myself at once. "

Madge raised her eyes in surprise. After all, was Miss Jones going totell of last night's adventure? But the chaperon was not looking ather. She was smiling at Phil, Lillian and Eleanor. 

"Well, out with it, Miss Jones, " laughed Phil. "What is theconfession?"

"It is a foolish one, perhaps. I hate the name of 'Jones. ' I havedespised it all my life. There, that is my confession. Won't yougirls please call me something else while we are having our holidaytogether? I know Madge can find a name for me. " She looked rathertimidly at Madge. 

The girl blushed, though she felt vastly relieved at Miss Jones'sconfession. "What do you wish us to call you? I saw your initials insome of your books, 'J. A. Jones, ' so we might call you Jenny AnnJones, because, when Nellie and I were children, we used to play an oldnursery game: 'We're going to see Miss Jenny Ann Jones, Miss Jenny AnnJones, and how is she to-day?'" Madge's explanation ended with a song. 

Miss Jones laughed. "My name is worse than Jenny Ann, it is JemimaAnn. "

"It isn't pretty, " agreed Phyllis, with a shake of the head. "Girls, what shall we call our chaperon? And we have never named ourhouseboat, either. We have a day's work ahead of us. We must think ofnames for both of them. "

"Wouldn't 'Miss Ann' do?" Eleanor asked. 

"I think Ann is such a pretty name. "

"I would rather you had a more individual name for me. I have oftenbeen called Ann. "

"You might be the 'Queen of our Ship of Dreams, '" laughed Lillian. 

"That sounds altogether too high and mighty, " objected Phyllis. "Weought to have something nice and chummy. "

"We might call you 'Gem, ' because it is short for Jemima, and in honorof these corn muffins, which we call 'gems' in our part of the world, "added Phil. "We'll think of a name yet. Come on, girls, we must getto work; there is so much to be done. Lillian, you and I must go up tothe farmhouse to get some supplies this morning. Suppose we take along walk this afternoon and explore the woods back of us?"

"We will think of the prettiest name we can for you and another for ourhouseboat, " declared Lillian as the four girls rose from the table togo about their various tasks; "then we shall make our report to-night. "

It was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon when the four churnsstarted on their walk. Miss Jones did not go with them. She was tiredand wished to sit out on the deck of the boat in the sunshine. 

"Be back before dark, children, " she called out gayly as the girlsclimbed up the little embankment. "Remember, you don't know your wayin this country, as you do at old Harborpoint. I shall be uneasy aboutyou if you aren't back on time. "

There were several scattered farmhouses at the top of the hill thatsloped down to the cove of the bay, but back of the farmlands lay along stretch of forest. The ground was covered with a carpet of wildflowers and a few late violets. 

Once the chums were fairly in the heart of the woods they did not meetanother traveler. They seemed to have the forest to themselves. Theyhad no thought of danger in the quiet woods, and Madge and Eleanor, whohad been brought up in the country, were careful to watch the pathsthey followed. 

They had been in the woods for an hour or more when Lillian, who wasstooping over a clump of big, purple violets, thought she heard apeculiar sound resembling light footsteps, Whether there was a humanbeing or an animal near them she could not tell. The footsteps wouldrun rapidly and then stop abruptly. 

"Phil, " called Lillian, "I thought I heard something. Did you? Listenonce more. There, did you hear that?"

Phil listened. "Not a sound, Airy Fairy Lillian. It must have beenyour fancy. "

But Lillian was not convinced. Several times she believed she heardthe noise again. However, she did not mention it. 

As the girls came out of the woods to a little clearing Phil, who wasin the lead, ran forward. "Madge, Eleanor, " she called, "come here, quick! I am sure this must be a regular, old-time log cabin. "

Before them the girls saw an old cabin that looked as though it hadbeen empty for a quarter of a century. It was strongly built of logs, and the chinks between the logs were filled with mud that had hardenedlike plaster. There were no windows in the cabin, except in the eaves. The heavy door was half open, but it had an old-fashioned wooden latchon the outside. 

"The old cabin looks rather creepy, doesn't it, Madge?" asked Eleanor. "It is built more securely than our cabins farther down south, too. This place seems more like a prison. "

"It looks interesting. Let's go in to see it. " Phil suggested. 

The cabin stood in front of a stream of clear water. Close around itgrew a number of dark old cedar trees. 

Phil and Madge shoved open the heavy door. Inside, the one large roomlooked gray and dark, as the only light came from the two small windowsso far overhead. 

"I would rather not go in, Madge, " protested Eleanor, hesitating on thethreshold after Lillian had followed the other two girls inside. 

"Don't be a baby, Eleanor, " scolded Madge. "There is nothing to hurtyou. "

Once inside the old house, Eleanor was as much interested as her chums. There was no furniture in the place, but a few faded pictures weretacked up on the walls, and the corners of the room were thick withmysterious and inviting shadows. 

As they clustered in a group under an old magazine picture of a darkeywith a fiddle in his hand there was an unexpected sound just outsidethe door, and the big room grew suddenly darker. 

The four girls turned simultaneously. 

The heavy door through which they had entered the cabin, and which wasthe only entrance, had been shut fast. At the same instant there wasthe sound of a heavy, sliding bolt, then the rush of flying feet. 

For the moment no one of the girls realized the seriousness of what hadhappened. 

"Some one must have locked us in for a joke, " declared Phil stoutly. 

Madge ran to the door and shook it with all her strength. It was builtof heavy logs, and, though the girls could see the daylight through thecracks between the timbers, the door showed no sign of opening. 

"Don't work so hard, Madge, " remonstrated Phil. "Whoever shut us inwill come back in a moment to unfasten the bolt. "

The girls waited a long time. No one returned. 

"Perhaps the person who closed the door did not know there was any onein the cabin, " suggested Eleanor faintly. 

"But we were all talking, Nellie. No one but a deaf person could havefailed to hear us, " Lillian insisted. 

Eleanor realized the truth of the words. 

"Don't be frightened, Nellie, " begged Madge remorsefully. "Let's allpush against the door at the same time. I am sure we shall be able tobreak the bolt. One, two, three! Now--all together!"

The four girls shoved with all their might, until their arms ached andtheir faces perspired from the exertion. Still the old door resistedthem. Perhaps Eleanor was right and the log house had been built as aprison. 

"I think we had better call for help, " was Phil's practical suggestion. "If we all scream together, we ought to make considerable noise. I amafraid Miss Jones may become worried about us before any one comes tolet us out. "

The girls called and called, until their voices were hoarse, but no oneanswered them. Each girl remembered that she had not met a singleperson in her journey through the woods. 

Then the prisoners made a trip around the big room, poking and peeringabout to see if there were any other possible method of escape. 

"If I could only get up to one of those windows, I could easily breakthe bars and try to jump out of it, " speculated Madge aloud. "But, alas, I am not a monkey! I can't climb straight up the side of a wall. "

"You shall not try it, either, " retorted Eleanor determinedly. "Youwould break your neck if you tried to jump from one of those highwindows. Thank goodness, you can't climb up to them!"

"You were the wise one, Nell, and we wouldn't listen to you. " Madgeeyed Eleanor mournfully. She had an overwhelming desire to burst intotears. 

"Don't take it so to heart, Madge, " comforted her cousin. "Some one issure to come this way finally, if we only call long enough. "

But the afternoon shadows lengthened and no one came. Gradually thetwilight fell, enveloping the big, bare room in hazy darkness. Theprisoners huddled together with white and weary faces. They thought oftheir cosy houseboat with the little lamps lit in the dining room, andthe big lantern hanging in the bow, and of Miss Jones, who by this timewas no doubt anxiously waiting and watching for their return. 

It was perhaps eight o'clock, although to the girls it seemed midnight, when Lillian whispered:

"Girls, I hear some one coming this way. Phil was right; it was ajoke, after all. Whoever locked the door has come back to unlock it. "

The girls smiled hopefully. After all, their experience did not amountto anything. They would be back inside the houseboat in another hour. 

The footsteps now sounded plainly just outside the cabin door. 

"Won't you please unbar the door for us?" called Phil and Madge inchorus. "Some one has locked us inside. "

An elfish laugh answered them. Or was it the wind? Perhaps they hadheard no one after all. They strained their ears but heard no furthersound. Then the last bit of twilight vanished and night came down inreality. 

CHAPTER VIII

AN ANXIOUS NIGHT

Huddled together in the darkness, Phil and Madge endeavored to relievethe strain of the situation by talking, but the very sound of theirvoices dismayed them and they became silent. Finally Eleanor, who hadbeen leaning against Madge's shoulder, laid her head in her cousin'slap and went to sleep. A little later Lillian, after receiving Madge'sassurance that she and Phil intended to keep watch, went to sleep also. 

"Madge, " Phil's voice trembled a little, "what do you suppose poor MissJones will think? She won't have the least idea in which direction tolook for us. Goodness knows how long we may have to stay here. We maynever get out. " Her voice sank to a whisper. 

"Why, Phil, " Madge feigned a hopefulness which she did not feel, "I amsurprised at you. You haven't given up hope. It is just the darknessand being hungry that makes things appear so dreadful. I have beenthinking about our plight, and when daylight comes I am going to try toclimb up the wall to the window. The mud has broken away between someof the logs, so that I can get my foot in the opening. We shall haveto dig it away in other places too. "

"But what can we dig with, Madge? We haven't a knife. "

"With our fingers and hairpins, if we must, Phil. Sh-sh, Nellie iswaking. I want her to sleep on till daylight. "

Toward morning, however, the two girls' eyes closed wearily. In spiteof their resolve to keep awake, the gray dawn creeping in at thewindows found them fast asleep. It was Phil who first opened her eyes. She touched Madge, who sat up with a start, then springing to her feetexclaimed, "I'm so glad it's morning. Now for my great circus stunt. "

"You can't possibly climb up there without hurting yourself, Madge. You will surely fall, " expostulated Eleanor. "Please, please don't tryit. "

"Please don't discourage me, Nellie. It is the only way I know to getout of this dreadful place. Phil, if you will try to brace me, I canclimb up and dig in the mud farther up. "

Eleanor was feeling down in her pocket. Suddenly she gave a little cryof surprise. "O, girls! I have something that may help. Here is alittle pair of scissors. You can dig with them, Madge. "

The girls hailed the scissors with exclamations of joy. They were verysmall embroidery scissors, but they were better than nothing. 

Lillian, who was bent on a foraging expedition around the room, cameback a moment later with a few big, rusty nails and an old brick shehad picked up out of the tumbled down fireplace. "If you can hammerthese nails in the wall, Madge, you will have something to hold on toas you climb. "

For two hours Madge alternately dug and climbed. In each hole that shemade between the big logs she would set her foot, then hammer a nailabove her head and dig a new opening. At last she actually did climbup the side of the wall, but her hands were scratched and bleeding, andher hair and face were covered with mud. She had taken off her dressskirt, too, as she could climb better in her petticoat. 

The three girls below held their breath when she came to the finalstretch, and let go the last rickety nail to fling herself on to thewindow sill. 

"Eureka, girls!" she called down cheerfully, when she got her breath. She was holding tightly to the window frame with both hands andendeavoring to make her voice sound gay, though she was nearly worn outwith the fatigue of her dangerous climb. "Now I shall surely find away out for us. Please don't be frightened, Nellie, darling, if I haveto jump. It is not so bad. " She gave a little inward shudder as shelooked through the tiny window frame. She could easily wrench thebroken bars away. That was not the trouble. But the window was sosmall and the sill so narrow that Madge realized she could not get intothe proper position for a forward spring. However, she had made up hermind; she might break her leg, or her arm, but she would open thatbarred door if she died in doing it. 

With determined hands she wrenched at one of the window bars. It gaveway. She seized hold of another, clinging to the sill with her otherhand, her feet in their insecure resting places. 

"It's all right, chilluns, " she smiled, as she swung herself up to thewindow, "I'm going to jump. "

Eleanor had closed her eyes. Phil and Lillian watched their friend, sick with apprehension. 

Madge gave one look down at the ground, at least fourteen feet belowher. Then she uttered a quick, sharp cry, and dropped back to herresting place, her feet, almost by instinct, finding the open spaces inthe wall. 

"Come down, Madge, " called Phil sharply. "I was afraid you'd find thedistance too great. Don't try it again. "

"No, no, it is not that, " replied Madge, gazing through the window. "Idon't believe I shall have to jump. I am sure some one is near. "

Sniffing the ground, near the side of the cabin, she had spied a dogwith a soft brown nose, a shaggy, red brown body and a tail standingout tense and straight. It was a brown setter, and Madge knew he wasprobably hunting for woodchucks. Surely the presence of the dog meanta master somewhere near. 

Her tired, eager eyes strained through the thick foliage of the woodsthey had traversed so happily only the afternoon before. 

Yes, there was a man's figure! He was coming nearer. A young man in ahunting jacket, with a gun swung over his shoulder, was tramping along, with his eyes on the ground. 

A pleading voice apparently came from the sky: "Please unbar the doorof this old cabin. We are locked inside. "

The young man stopped short. He took off his cap and ran his handthrough his thick, light hair. He was too old to believe in fairies orelves. But he heard the voice again even more distinctly. "Oh, don'tgo away! Do open the log cabin door. "

The young man looked up. There was a little, white face as wan andpale as the early daylight, with an aureole of dark red curls aroundit, staring at him through the broken window frame of the old log cabinthat he had seen deserted a dozen times in his hunting trips throughthese woods. 

"If there is some one really calling to me, please wave your hand threetimes from that window, so I will know you are not a spook, " called theyoung man, "otherwise I may be afraid to open the door. "

"I can't wave. I shall fall if I let go the window sill, " answeredMadge, trying to keep from bursting into tears. "Please don't wait anylonger. We have been locked in all night. "

The stranger drew back the heavy wooden bolt. He started when he sawthree white-faced girls staring at him. But the face he had seen atthe window was not among them. Clinging to the old window frame, herslender feet stuck in the cracks between the logs, was the witch whohad summoned him to their rescue. 

"Won't you please come help me down, Phil?" asked a plaintive voice. 

"Just let go the window frame and drop, " ordered the stranger quietly. "Don't be afraid. It is the only possible way. "

Without hesitating Madge did as directed. "Thank you, " she saidcoolly, when she got her breath. Then she staggered a little, andPhyllis and the young man who had come to their rescue caught her. 

"We have been locked in so long, " explained Phil. "No, we have not theleast idea who could have played such a trick on us. We arrived inthis neighborhood only yesterday afternoon. "

Phil gave a short history of the houseboat, introducing her threefriends and herself to him. "We must return to our chaperon at once, "she added. "The poor woman will be dreadfully worried. Do you girlsfeel strong enough to walk? You see"--this time Phil turned to theirrescuer--"it is not only that we have been shut up here for nearlyfourteen hours, we are so hungry! We have had nothing to eat sinceyesterday at luncheon. "

"Your poor, starving girls!" exclaimed their liberator, reproachfully. "At last I am convinced you are not fairies. And for once I am gladthat my mother is always certain that I am on the point of starving. "

He reached back into his pocket and brought out a package and a flask. "Here is some good, strong coffee. I am sorry it is cold, but it isbetter than nothing. " He turned to Madge, who looked exhausted. 

She shook her head, though she gazed at the flask wistfully. "I won'tdrink first. I don't need it as much as the other girls. "

Eleanor took the bottle from his hands and held it to Madge's lips. The exhausted girl took a long drink. Then the others followed suit, while the young man watched them, smiling with satisfaction. He wastall and strong, and not particularly handsome, but he had fine browneyes, a firm chin and thick, curly, light hair. After the girls hadfinished the coffee he broke open his package of sandwiches and foundexactly four inside. 

"Please take them, " he urged, handing the open package to Lillian. 

"We mustn't take them from you, " protested Lillian. "We thank you forthe coffee. That will do nicely until we get back to our boat. "

The stranger laughed. "See here, " he protested, "not an hour ago, whenI left the hotel, where my mother and I are spending the summer, I atethree eggs, much bacon, four Maryland biscuit and drank two cups ofcoffee. Fragile creature that I am, I believe I can exist on thatamount of refreshment for another hour or so. But whenever I go out ona few hours' hunting trip, my mother insists that the steward at thehotel put me up a luncheon. She is forever imagining that I am likelyto get lost and starve, a modern 'Babe in the Woods, ' you know. By theway, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Curtis, Thomas StevensonCurtis, if you please, but I am more used to plain, everyday Tom. "

The girls acknowledged the introduction, then by common consent theybegan walking away from the cabin. 

A short distance was traversed in silence, then Madge said abruptly, "Who do you suppose locked us in, Mr. Curtis?"

"I don't know, " answered Tom Curtis darkly, clenching his fist. "Butwouldn't I like to find out! Have you an enemy about here?"

Madge shook her head. "No; as I said, we came to the neighborhood onlyyesterday. We have met only the farmer and his wife, who allowed us toland. "

"I'll make it my business to find out who served you such a dastardlytrick, Miss Morton, " Tom returned. "I expect to be in thisneighborhood all summer. My mother isn't very well, and we like thisquiet place. Our home is in New York. I was a freshman last year atColumbia. "

Only the day before Tom Curtis had informed his mother that he foundthe neighborhood too slow, and that if she didn't object he would beglad to move on. But a great deal can happen in a short time to make ayoung man of twenty change his mind. 

"Thank you, " replied Madge sedately. "I'll be on the lookout for thewretch, too. Now we must hurry back to our chaperon, Miss Jones. Iwon't ask you to come with us this morning, but we shall be very gladto have you come aboard our boat to-morrow. We haven't named her yet, but she is so white and clean and new looking that you can't possiblymistake her. She is lying on an arm of the bay just south of thesewoods. "

"I'll surely avail myself of the invitation, " smiled Tom Curtis as theypaused for a moment at the edge of the woods. Below them the bluewaters of the bay gleamed in the sunshine. And yes, there was theirbeloved "Ship of Dreams. "

"Oh, you can see her from here!" exclaimed Madge, her eyes dancing withthe pride of possession. "See, Mr. Curtis, it is our very own 'Ship ofDreams' until we give her a real name. "

"She's a beauty, " said Tom Curtis warmly, "and I really must have acloser look at her. "

"Then come to see us soon, " invited Phil audaciously. 

"I will, you may be certain of it. Good-bye. I hope you won't sufferany bad effects from your strenuous night. " The young man raised hiscap and, whistling to his dog, strode off down the hill. 

"What a nice boy, " commented Lillian. 

Madge, however, was not thinking of Tom Curtis; her mind dwelt upontheir chaperon, and the long, anxious night she had spent alone on thehouseboat. 

Poor Miss Jones! Her vigil had indeed been a patient one. From thetime the hands of the little cabin clock had pointed to the hour of sixshe had anxiously awaited the girls. She had cooked the dinner, thenset it in the oven to warm. At seven o'clock she trudged up the hillto the farmhouse to make inquiries. No one had seen the young womensince they passed through the fields early that afternoon. At nineo'clock a party of farmers scoured the country side, but the extremedarkness of the night had caused the young men to discontinue theirsearch until daylight. 

At dawn Miss Jones flung herself down on her berth, utterly exhausted. She would rest until the search party started out again, then she wouldhurry to the nearest town and inform the authorities of the strangedisappearance of the girls. As she lay with half-closed eyes trying toimagine just what could possibly have happened to her charges, afamiliar call broke upon her ears that caused her to spring up from herberth in wonder. 

"We've come to see Miss Jennie Ann Jones, " caroled a voice, and in thenext instant the bewildered teacher was surrounded by four tired butsmiling girls. 

"We were locked up all night in a log cabin in the woods, " began Madge. "Do say you are glad to see us and give us some breakfast, Miss JennieAnn Jones, for we were never so hungry in all our lives before, and assoon as we have something to eat, we'll tell you the strangest storyyou ever heard. "

With her arm thrown across the teacher's shoulders Madge made her wayto the houseboat, followed by her friends. At that moment, to thelittle, impulsive girl, Miss Jennie Ann Jones seemed particularly dear, in spite of her mysterious ways, and Madge made mental resolve to tryto believe in their chaperon, no matter what happened. 

CHAPTER IX

THE GIRL ON THE ISLAND

"Phil, it looks like only a little more than half a mile over to theisland. Do you think we can make it?" asked Madge, casting speculativeeyes toward the distant island. 

"Of course we can, " declared Phyllis. "I'm sorry that Eleanor and MissJones did not come with us. But they have become so domestic that theycan't be persuaded to leave the houseboat. Nelly told me shepositively loved to polish kettles and things, " Phil replied. 

Lillian, Phyllis and Madge were in their own rowboat, the "WaterWitch, " which had been expressed to them from Harborpoint. They wereno longer in the quiet inlet of the bay, where their houseboat wasanchored, but rowing out toward the more open water. On one side ofthem they could see the beach in front of a large summer hotel. Acrossfrom it lay a small island, to which they were rowing. 

"Miss Jones doesn't like to have us start off alone this way. She hasgrown dreadfully nervous about us since our experience in the cabin, "remarked Lillian. "That is why she didn't approve of Madge's plan thismorning. "

"I thought Madge was going to fly into little bits when Miss Jonessuggested it was not safe for us to row about here in our own little'Water Witch, '" teased Phil. 

"Phil, please don't discuss my temper, " answered Madge crossly. "Ifthere is one thing I hate worse than another, it is to hear people talkabout my faults. Of course, I know I have a perfectly detestabletemper, but I hardly said a word to Miss Jenny Ann. Please tell mewhat fun we could have on our holiday if we never dared to go ten feetaway from the houseboat?"

"None whatever, " answered Lillian, "only you needn't be so cross withPhil and me. We were not discussing your faults. You are altogethertoo ready to become angry over a trifle. " There was indignation andreproof in Lillian's tone. 

Madge plied her oars in silence. She knew that she had behaved badly. "Isn't it exactly like me?" she thought to herself. "If I am sweet andagreeable one minute, and feel pleased with myself, I can surely counton doing something disagreeable the next. Now I have made Lillian andPhil cross with me and probably have hurt Miss Jenny Ann's feelings andspoiled this beautiful day for us all. "

Eleanor's soft voice broke in upon her self-arraignment. "Don'tsquabble, girls. The day is altogether too perfect. None of you arereally cross. Now, are you?"

Three pairs of eyes met hers, then the little dispute ended in ageneral laugh. 

Madge and Phil rowed faster than ever after this little falling out. They could see the shores of Fisherman's Island not far ahead, withseveral dories and small fishing craft anchored along the banks. Theywere heading toward an open beach, where there was no sign of life. 

"Girls, look out!" warned Lillian. She was sitting in the bow of theirskiff, and could see another rowboat moving toward them, the two pairsof oars rising and falling in perfect accord. The boat was so close tothem that Lillian was afraid Phil and Madge might cross oars with it. But as the other boat glided smoothly up alongside of their skiff, theoars were drawn swiftly inboard, almost before the girls knew what hadhappened. 

"I suppose you don't speak to people on the water whom you might bepersuaded to notice on land, " called Tom Curtis reproachfully. 

"O Mr. Curtis! how do you do?" laughed Madge. "You see, we are notpossessed with eyes in the backs of our heads, or we should haverecognized you. Goodness gracious! If there isn't my cousin, JackBolling! I never dreamed you knew him. Why didn't you tell me? Jack, where did you come from?"

Tom looked at Jack, and Jack looked at Tom. "Age before beauty, Mr. Curtis, " bowed Jack. "You answer first. "

"To tell you the solemn truth, I did not know your cousin until thismorning, " Tom explained. "But when I saw a not specially bad-lookingfellow mooning about our hotel as though lost I went over and spoke tohim. It wasn't long before I found out he knew you young ladies. Itold him about meeting you in the woods the other day, and we shookhands on it. Now, Bolling, it is your turn. How did you happen toturn up in this particular place?"

Jack was apparently looking at Lillian and Madge, but he had reallyglanced first at Phyllis Alden, to see how she had borne the shock ofhis presence. Jack had guessed correctly that Phyllis did not likehim. To tell the truth, she looked anything but pleased. She did notlike boys. She could do most of the things they could, and they were, to her mind, a nuisance. They were always on hand, trying to help andto pretend that girls were weaker than they were in order to domineerover them. The worst of it was, Madge, Lillian and Eleanor might thinkthe newcomers would add to the fun. So, though Phyllis did not mean tobe rude either to Tom or to Jack, she was far from enthusiastic, andcould not help showing it. 

"Of course, I had to come down to see what your houseboat looked likeafter I got your note telling me where you were, " explained Jack. "Iknew there was a hotel near here, so, as soon as school closed, I randown for a few days to see how you were getting on. You see, I wasreally very much interested in the houseboat. " Jack made this lastremark directly to Phyllis. She merely glanced carelessly away in theopposite direction. 

"We rowed up from the hotel to the houseboat, but we couldn't see asoul aboard. 'The ship was still as still could be, '" declared Tom. "Then we started for a row and found you. " There was no doubt that Tomwas looking straight at Madge. 

"We are rowing over to the island, " remarked Lillian graciously. 

"How strange! We were going over there, too, weren't we, Mr. Bolling?"quizzed Tom. 

"Then catch us if you can!" challenged Phyllis. With a sign to Madgethe two girls began rowing their boat through the water with the speedof an arrow. The first spurt told, for the island was not far away, and the girls' boat grated on the beach before the boys had time toland. But Tom and Jack did jump out and run through the water to pullthe "Water Witch" ashore, much to Phil's disgust. 

"I really have an errand to do on this island, Miss Morton, " continuedTom, as the party started up the beach. "I wanted first to ask you ifI could bring my mother to call on you and your chaperon thisafternoon? I am awfully anxious to have an all-day sailing partyto-morrow. And I thought perhaps you and your friends and chaperonwould go with us? There is an old fellow over here who takes peopleout sailing, and I am anxious to have a talk with him. Don't think Iam such a duffer that I can't sail a boat myself, but my mother is sonervous about the water that I take a professional sailor along to keepher from worrying. She has had a great deal to make her nervous, " Tomended. "I wonder if you and your friends would mind walking over tothe other side of the island with me to see this man? It is not a longwalk. "

The party started off, Phyllis keeping strictly in the background. Madge walked with Tom and Lillian with Jack, so she felt a little outof it. 

"If you don't mind, " she proposed, after the party had walked a fewyards, "I will sit down here on the beach and wait until you come backfrom your talk with the sailor man. I will stay right here, so you canfind me when you return. "

Phil found herself a comfortable, flat rock, and sat looking idly outover the bay. Gradually she fell into a little reverie. 

A sudden cry of pain roused Phil from her daydream. Springing to herfeet, she rushed down the beach, seeing nothing, but following thedirection of the cry. Rounding a curve of the beach she came upon adirty, half-tumbled down tent. In front of it stood a burly man withboth hands on the shoulders of a young girl, whom he was shakingviolently. So intent was he upon what he was doing, he did not noticePhil approaching. She saw him shove the girl inside the tent and closethe outside flap. "Now, stay in there till you git tired of it, " hegrowled as he turned and walked away. 

A sound of low sobbing greeted Phil's ears as she came up in front ofthe tent and stood waiting, hardly knowing what to do. The sobscontinued, with a note of pain in them that went straight to Phil'stender heart. The sight or sound of physical suffering made a specialappeal to her. It was Phyllis's secret ambition some day to studymedicine, an ambition which she had confided to no one save Madge. Although the figure she had seen was almost that of a woman, thesobbing sounded like that of a child. There was no other noise in thetent, so Phil knew the girl was alone. 

"Won't you please come out?" she called softly, not knowing what elseto do or say. "Tell me what is grieving you so. I am only a girl likeyourself, and I would like to help you. "

"I dare not come out, " the other girl answered. "My father said I muststay in here. "

Phil opened the flap of the old tent and walked inside. "What is thematter?" she inquired gently, bending over the figure lying on theground and trying to lift her. 

The girl sat up and pushed back her unkempt hair. She had a deep, glowing scar just over her temple. But her hair was a wonderful color, and only once before Phil remembered having seen eyes so deeply blue. 

"Why, " Phil exclaimed with a start of surprise, "I have seen yousomewhere before. Don't you remember me?"

The girl shook her head. "I do not remember anything, " she answeredquietly. 

"But I saw you on the canal boat. Your father was the man who helpedus secure our houseboat. What are you doing here?"

"We have come here for many years, I think, " the girl answeredconfusedly. "In the early spring my father catches shad along the bay. Then all summer he takes people out sailing from the big place overthere. " She pointed across the water in the direction of the hotel. "Our boat is on the other side of the island. " The girl clasped herhead in her long, sun-burned hands. "It is there that it hurts, " shedeclared, touching the ugly, jagged scar. 

Phil gave a little, sympathetic cry and put her hand on the girl'sshoulder. 

"When I work a long time in the sun my head hurts, " the girl went onlistlessly. "I have been washing all day on the beach. I came up hereto hide, and my father found me. He was angry because I had stoppedwork. "

"Did he strike you?" Phil cried in horror, gazing at the slender, delicate creature and thinking of the rough, coarse man. 

"Not this time, " the girl replied. "Sometimes they strike me and thenI am afraid. Only there is one thing I shall never, never do, nomatter how much they beat me. I can not remember everything, but Iknow that I will not do this one thing. "

"What is it?" asked Phil. "Whom do you mean by 'they, ' and what do'they' wish you to do?"

The girl shook her head. "I can not tell you. " She shuddered, andPhil felt she had no right to insist on knowing. 

"I like to hide in this tent, " the girl went on sorrowfully. "I comehere whenever I can get away from the others. I would like to stayhere always. But, now he has found me, there is no place where I canrest. "

"Have you a mother, or brothers and sisters?" Phil asked. 

"There is the man's second wife, but she is not my mother. She hasmany little children. I think I must be very old. I seem to havelived such a long time. "

"Can't you remember your own mother?" Phil inquired. 

The girl shook her head mournfully. "I can remember nothing, " she saidagain. "Don't go, " she begged, as Phil rose to leave her. "I havenever known a girl like you before. "

"I must go, " answered Phil regretfully. "My friends will be waitingfor me up the beach, and they will not know where to find me. Won'tyou come to see me and my friends? We are spending our holiday on ahouseboat not very far from here. We would love to have you come. "

"I am not allowed to leave the island or to go among people, " the girlreplied. "My father says I have no sense. So, if I wander away, ortalk to strangers, people will think that I am crazy and shut me up insome dreadful, dark place. "

Tears of sympathy rose to Phyllis's eyes. She wished Madge and theother girls were with her. It was too dreadful to think of this lovelycreature frightened into submission by her cruel father. "We will cometo see you, then, " she said gently. "And I will bring you something tokeep your head from aching. My father is a physician, and he will tellme what I must give you. I will bring my friends to the island withme. Whenever you can get away, come to this tent and we will try tofind you. We shall have good times together, and some day we may beable to help you. You know how to write, don't you? Then, if you areever in trouble or danger, leave a note under this old piece of carpet. Now good-bye. "

The girl stood in the door of her tent to watch Phyllis on her way. She stared intently after her until her visitor turned the curve of thebeach and was lost to view, then, leaning her head against the side ofthe tent, she burst forth into low, despairing sobs. 

CHAPTER X

AN EXCITING RACE

Eleanor and Miss "Jenny Ann, " as the girls seemed inclined to calltheir chaperon, had not remained on the houseboat merely to polish thepots and pans. They had a special surprise and plan of their own onhand. 

It was all very well for Phyllis to dream of a houseboat, with itsdecks lined with flowers, and for Madge to draw a beautiful plan of iton paper. Flowers do not grow except where they are planted. 

So it was in order to turn gardeners that Eleanor and Miss Jones stayedat home. Flowers enough to encircle the deck of a houseboat would costalmost as much money as the four girls had in their treasury to keepthem supplied with food and coal. But the gently sloping Marylandfields were abloom with daisies. A farmer's lad could be hired for adollar to dig up the daisies and to bring a wagon load of dirt to theboat. The day before Eleanor had engaged the services of a carpenterto make four boxes, which exactly fitted the sides of the little upperdeck of the houseboat above the cabin. An hour or so after the girlsdeparted on their rowing excursion the daisies were brought aboard, planted, and held up their heads bravely. They were such sturdy, hardylittle flowers that they did not wither with homesickness at the changein their environment. 

But still Eleanor was not entirely satisfied. In Phil's dream andMadge's picture of the boat vines had drooped gracefully over the sidesof the deck, and Eleanor had no vines to plant. Eleanor had a naturalgift for making things about her lovely and homelike. So she thoughtand thought. Wild honeysuckle vines were growing in the fields withthe daisies. They were just the things to clamber over the whiterailing of the deck and to hang gracefully over the sides. Theirperfume would fill the little floating dwelling with their fragrance. 

By noon the transformation was complete. Eleanor persuaded Miss Jonesto go for a walk while she got the luncheon. Madge, Phil and Lillianhad solemnly promised to be at home by one o'clock. Another surprisewas in store for them. In the bow of their boat Eleanor had hung up aflag. On a background of white broadcloth, stitched in bands of blue, was the legend "Merry Maid. " This was Eleanor Butler's chosen name forthe houseboat, and had been voted the best possible selection, whileMadge had been unanimously voted captain of their little ship. Eleanorhad sent to the town for the flag, and even their chaperon was not toknow of its arrival. 

One would hardly have known Miss Jenny Ann Jones--a week in the freshair had done her so much good. Then, too, Phil and Lillian hadpersuaded her to cease to wear her heavy, light hair in an English bunat the back of her neck. Lillian had plaited it in two great braidsand had coiled it around her head like a dull golden coronet. She hada faint color in her cheeks, and, instead of looking cross and tired, she was as merry and almost as light-hearted as the girls. The linesof her head were really beautiful, and her sallow skin was fastbecoming clear and healthy. For once in her life Miss Jones looked noolder than her twenty-six years. Eleanor watched her as she startedoff on her walk dressed in white, carrying a red parasol, and decidedthat Miss Jones was really pretty. Since her advent among the girlsshe had begun to look at life from a different standpoint. She hadalmost ceased worrying and she meant to grow well and strong if shecould. Since her mysterious visitor the first night she spent aboardthe boat nothing had happened to disturb her. She walked slowly on, sooccupied with her own thoughts she did not notice that she was in alane between two fields enclosed by fences. Some one called to her. She could not distinguish the voice. It called and called again. Shethought it must be one of the girls who had come out in the field tomeet her. As there was no one looking, Miss Jones managed to climbover the rail fence, and now she walked in the direction from which thesound of the voice came. After a time the voice ceased. It was ashorter stroll to the boat across this field, so the teacher wentleisurely on. In a far corner of the meadow she saw an odd objectunlike anything she had ever seen. It consisted of two sticks thatlooked like the legs of a scarecrow which had a square board fastenedin front of them. From between the sticks were two other brownobjects, long and thin, and behind it sat a young man busily engaged intransferring the peaceful scene to canvas. Miss Jones was gazingcuriously at this object, with her red parasol hung over her shoulder, so that it was impossible for her to see anything behind her. But shedid hear an unusual noise--a snort, then a bellow--the sound wasunmistakable. With a sense of sickening terror she gave one horrifiedglance behind her. She had been mysteriously lured into a field wherea bull was loose. It never occurred to Miss Jones to throw away herred parasol. She ran on, waving it wildly over her shoulders, maddening the enraged animal behind her. Miss Jones did not believeshe could run fast. Usually her breath was short, and even a rapidwalk fatigued her. Now she ran on and on. Once again she half heard amocking voice cry after her, but she paid no attention to it. In herfright she was also oblivious to the fact that the strange object inthe corner of the field fell to the ground with a bang, while a mansitting on a stool behind it rose to right his overturned canvas. "Drop it, drop it!" he shouted, running after Miss Jones and repeatedlyurging her to throw away her bright red parasol. 

Madge, Phil and Lillian had come back to the boat. After dancing in acircle around Eleanor to express the rapture they felt in thetransformation she had wrought in their beloved houseboat, they stoodtogether on the deck, looking for the return of their chaperon alongthe shore. 

Miss Jones thought there was a gate at the end of the field in whichshe was running. She made for this gate, as she knew she would nothave time to get over the fence before the animal would be upon her. In her terror she had but one idea, one hope, that was to reach thesafety of the gang-plank and to climb aboard the houseboat. 

While Miss Jones was running for her life the four chums were lingeringabout the deck of the "Merry Maid" watching for her return. Theydecided to take a short walk with the idea of meeting her and, leavingtheir boat to take care of itself, strolled through the lane that ledto the very field Miss Jones had entered. All at once Lillian calledout in terror:

"O girls! look! It's Miss Jones, and a bull is chasing her!"

The four chums stood rooted to the spot. What could they do? Theyfelt powerless to help, yet not one of the girls believed Miss Jonescould save herself. 

Madge was the first to act. In her hand was a large white and greenstriped umbrella. The girls had lately bought two of them to use outon deck as a protection from the sun, and Madge had caught up one ofthem as they started out. In the next instant she had climbed thefence that separated her from the field in which the teacher wasrunning and was making for the frightened woman at the top of her speed. 

But by this time Miss Jones was completely exhausted. Summoning allher will power, she staggered a few steps, then dropped to the ground, with the bull not more than four yards behind her. 

On it came, its head lowered almost to the ground. Then a huge greenand white monster loomed up before the animal, and with a snort ofmingled rage and horror the bull stopped short in its tracks. Thestrange green and white object now lunging at full tilt was far moreterrible than the small, red, flame-like object that fled its approach. Rage conquering fear, the bull gave a dreadful roar and made a quicklunge at Madge. She sprang to one side but managed to thrust herumbrella full in the animal's face. With a rumble of defiance the bulldodged the umbrella and made another lunge at Madge. Its lowered hornsnever reached her. A rope swung skilfully forward caught the animal bythe leg just in time. One swift pull and the bull went down. Theowner of the animal had witnessed its charge upon Miss Jones and, rushing across the field, had roped it. The artist who had attractedMiss Jenny Ann's attention had also come to the rescue, but it wasreally Madge with her green and white umbrella who had saved theirchaperon from the bull's horns. 

Miss Jones, who had raised herself to a sitting position, stared wildlyabout her, still firmly clutching the red parasol. 

The artist sprang to her side and raised her to her feet. "It was thisthat made the mischief, " he said, touching her parasol. "I shouted toyou to drop it. "

"But I didn't hear you, " defended the teacher faintly. Her two longbraids of fair hair had become unfastened and were now hanging down herback, giving her the appearance of a girl. "I heard some one callingto me, or I would never have entered that dreadful field. " Miss Joneseyed the artist reproachfully. "Was it you who shouted my name?"

"Was it I?" repeated the young man in astonishment. "Certainly not. Ido not know your name. "

"My name is 'Jones, '" Miss Jenny Ann faltered weakly. She was stillfeeling dazed and weak. 

"And my name is 'Brown, '" the artist answered, with an expression ofsolemn gravity. But the corners of his lips twitched in amusement. 

There was a faint chuckle from Madge that went the round of the groupand, despite the fact that the chaperon's narrow escape had been farfrom ludicrous, the whole party burst into laughter. 

"I am sorry, " apologized the artist. "Please forgive me for laughing. "

The farmer had in the meantime led the bull away, and now Eleanor andLillian came running toward the group to see if Miss Jenny Ann weretruly hurt. When they saw the whole party shaking with laughter, thetwo girls exchanged curious glances. "Luncheon has been waiting halfan hour, " Eleanor declared rather crossly. "Do come and eat it. Wewould not have come after you if we had known that you were having sucha good time. "

Madge glanced at their chaperon, then at the artist. He was evidentlya gentleman, and she recognized that he was possessed of a keen senseof humor. It would seem rude and ungrateful to run away and leave himjust as their luncheon was announced, when he had raced all the wayacross the meadow to assist in the rescue of their Miss Jenny Ann. 

"Won't you come and eat luncheon with us?" asked Madge boldly, fearingtheir chaperon would be dreadfully shocked. 

The artist shook his head. "I'd like to accept your invitation if MissJones will second it, " he replied, looking at Miss Jenny Ann. 

"You would he delighted to have Mr. Brown take luncheon with us, MissJenny Ann, wouldn't you?" Madge turned coaxing eyes upon their teacher. 

"I should be very ungracious if I were not, " laughed their chaperon, the color rising to her brown cheeks. "Mr. Brown will be a welcomeguest. "

And five minutes later Mr. Brown was triumphantly escorted aboard theirbeloved "Merry Maid. "

CHAPTER XI

AT THE MERCY OF THE WAVES

"Don't you think it would be perfectly lovely to have a mother as richand beautiful as Mrs. Curtis?" asked Madge, as she tied a black velvetribbon about her auburn curls and turned her head to see the effect. She and Phil were dressing for Tom Curtis's sailing party, to which hehad invited them the day before and which was to start within the nexthour. 

"Almost any mother is pretty nice, even if she isn't rich orbeautiful, " answered Phil loyally. She was wearing a yachting suit ofnavy blue while Madge was dressed in white serge. Eleanor, Lillian andMiss Jones, clad in white linen gowns, were ready and waiting on thehouseboat deck for the arrival of the sailing party. True to his word, Tom Curtis had brought his mother to call on the four girls theafternoon of the day before. 

"I know, " answered Madge slowly. "But sometimes, when I was a verylittle girl, I liked to think that perhaps I was a princess indisguise, and that Uncle and Aunt had never told me of it. I used tolook out of the window and wonder if some day a carriage would drive upto hear me away to my royal home. That doesn't sound very practical, does it? But, when one has no memory of father or mother, one can'thelp dreaming things. Don't you think Mrs. Curtis is simplybeautiful?" Madge abruptly changed the subject. "Her hair is so softand white, and she has such a young face, but she looks as though shewere tired of everything. Persons who have that wonderful, world-wearylook are so interesting, " finished Madge, with a sigh. "I am afraid Ishall never have that expression, because I never find time to gettired of things. "

"Come on, Madge, " laughed Phil. "You can mourn some other day over nothaving an interesting expression. "

"Girls, " called Lillian, "the Curtis's boat is coming. "

"In a minute, " answered Madge, giving a final pat to her curls. 

"Do hurry along, children. The sailboat is nearly here. " This time itwas Miss Jenny Ann's voice. "They signaled us several minutes ago. They have several other persons on board. "

Mrs. Curtis and Tom signaled as they approached the "Merry Maid. "Their guests were the artist, whom the girls had met the day before, Jack Bolling, and one or two strangers from the big summer hotel. MikeMuldoon, the owner of the boats, had another sailor on board to helphim. Tom soon transferred the girls and their chaperon from theircraft to his. The party intended to sail down the coast to a point ofland known as Love Point and to eat their luncheon somewhere along theshore. 

Mrs. Curtis sat across from Madge during their sailing trip, but everynow and then she would look over to laugh at one of the young girl'samusing sallies. It was evident that the little captain of the "MerryMaid" had found favor in her eyes. Mrs. Curtis had planned a daintyluncheon, to which the steward at the hotel had given specialattention, even to the sending of a man to serve it. There weredelicious sandwiches of various kinds, chicken and Waldorf salads, olives, salted nuts, individual ices sent down from Baltimore andbonbons. It was quite the most elaborate luncheon the girls had evereaten and they were rather impressed with both it and the service. 

After luncheon the party sat for a long time on the clean, white sand, laughing and talking gayly. It was a perfect day and everyone was inthe best possible spirits. Later on they divided into little groups. Lillian and Phil wandered off with Jack Bolling. Eleanor found acongenial companion in one of the young women guests from the hotel, while Tom, Miss Jones and Mrs. Curtis sat under a tree with the artist, watching him sketch. Madge, alone, flitted from one group to another, a little, restless spirit. 

"Why don't you take Miss Morton for a sail, Tom?" suggested his mother. "You will have time to go a short distance out. We shall not start forthe hotel until four o'clock. "

"A good suggestion. Thank you, Mother, " cried Tom. "Come on, MissMorton. "

Madge and Tom went gayly down to the boat. Tom's big setter dog, Brownie, dashed after them, pleading so hard to be taken aboard thatTom at last consented to have him, though he gravely assured the animalthat three was a crowd, to which statement Brownie merely gave a joyfulyelp and darted on board without further ceremony. 

[Illustration: Madge and Tom went gayly down to the boat. ]

It was a glorious day with a stiff breeze blowing. The water wasfairly choppy, but the boat sped along, occasionally dashing the sprayinto the two young faces. Madge wore a white cloth cap, with a visor, such as ship's officers wear, and looked as nautical as she felt. BothTom and Madge were possessed with an unusual fondness for the water, and their common love of the sea was a strong bond between them. 

"Have you ever heard of any one who could have locked you up in the oldhut that night?" Tom asked as they sailed along. 

Madge shook her head. "No; I have not the faintest idea. To tell youthe honest truth, I had almost forgotten that unpleasant experience. We have been having such a beautiful time since that we haven't hadtime to think of disagreeable things. "

"Do you think it is safe for five women to be aboard that houseboat bythemselves?" asked Tom anxiously. "If your boat were farther out onthe water you would be safer. "

Madge laughed merrily. "Look here, Mr. Curtis, I don't think it isfair for you to question our safety when there are five of us, Wouldn'tPhil be angry if she heard you say that! It makes her furious to heara man or boy even intimate that girls can't take care of themselves. Why, we can swim and run and jump, and we could put up a really bravefight if it were necessary. Besides, Nell and I know how to shoot. Uncle taught us when we were very little girls. I have been duckshooting with him along this very bay. Look at that rowboat backthere. I have been watching it for some time. It has been trying tofollow us. "

Tom turned about. The boat was only a skiff, and, though it was nearlyin their course, there was no chance of its coming any closer, as theirboat was sailing before the wind. 

"I believe it is the same skiff I saw this morning, " commented Tom. "Isuppose it is some fellow who has been fishing out here. Just think ofthe fish in this wonderful bay--perch and pike and bass and a hundredother kinds! You must help me catch some of them some day. "

"All right, I will, " promised Madge merrily. As they went farther outinto the bay they grew strangely silent. The spell of the sea was uponthem and they were content to sail along, exchanging but littleconversation. Chesapeake Bay was apparently in one of its most amiablemoods and, lured on by its apparent good nature, Tom grew a trifle morereckless than was his wont and did not turn about to begin the homewardsail as soon as he had originally intended. 

It was Madge who broke the spell. "I think we had better start back. Perhaps I merely imagine it, but it seems to me that the sun isn'tshining as brightly as it shone a little while ago. I know the bay sowell. It is so wonderful, but so treacherous. I was once out on it ina sailboat during a sudden squall and I am not likely to forget it. "Madge gave a slight shudder at the recollection. 

"All right, " agreed Tom, "I'll turn about, but there isn't theslightest danger of a squall to-day. " He brought his little craftabout and headed toward the beach. 

In spite of his assurance that there would he no squall, a black, threatening cloud had appeared in the sky, and now the wind shifted, blowing strongly toward land. Tom, who was nothing if not a sailor, managed the boat so skilfully that Madge's apprehensions were soonquieted and she gave herself up to the complete enjoyment of rushingalong in the freshened breeze. 

They were within a mile of their landing place when, off to their rightand a little ahead of them, Madge spied the rowboat they had seen atthe beginning of their sail. 

The boat was now tossing idly on the waves, and its sole occupant, ayoung man, was trying vainly to guide it with a single oar. 

"There is that boat again, " called Madge to Tom, who was busy with hissails. "I believe the young man in it is in trouble and is signalingto us for help. "

As Tom drew nearer to the rowboat the other man in it called out: "Say, can't you take me aboard? I've lost an oar, and it's a pretty toughjob trying to get ashore with one oar in a sea like this. "

Tom glanced quickly at Madge. He was quite ready to help the youngman, but wished to be sure that his young woman guest had no objectionto the stranger coming aboard their boat. 

It took five minutes to bring the sailboat close enough to pick up theman. Tom threw him a rope and the stranger climbed aboard, making fasthis rowboat to the stern of the sailing vessel. He was a peculiar, wild-looking fellow, with dark, shifting eyes and thick, curly hairthat partly covered his ears. As be stepped into the sailboat his lipsparted in a smile that showed his teeth, which Madge noted were long, very white and pointed at the ends. He was deeply tanned, yet, inspite of his rough appearance, seemed to be a gentleman. 

"You are very kind, " he said in a low, purring voice which caused Madgeto eye him sharply. "I would not have troubled you, but there is aheavy squall coming up. I shall be greatly obliged to you if you willput me ashore. "

"All right, " assented Tom. "We are in a hurry to get to shoreourselves, as my mother will be anxious if the storm catches us. "

Madge had continued to gaze at the new-comer. "Where have I seen himbefore? He is like a wolf. His teeth look almost like fangs, and Idon't like his strange, shifting eyes, " she mentally criticised. 

Aloud she said to Tom: "Miss Jenny Ann will be worried. She has beenvery nervous about us since we were locked in that old cabin in thewoods overnight. "

The stranger regarded Madge quizzically. She could have sworn that amocking light lay in his dark eyes. "Did you say you were locked in anold cabin in the woods overnight? How unfortunate. "

"It will be more unfortunate for the fellow who locked the girls in, provided we find him, " threatened Tom shortly. The stranger's suavetones aroused in him a peculiar feeling of antagonism. 

The young man regarded Tom through half-shut eyes. "I must ask you toland me on the beach above here, " he drawled. 

"Sorry, " answered Tom firmly. "I don't know any other pier along hereexcept ours. I told you I was in a hurry to go ashore. I don't liketo be disobliging, but you will have to go to our landing with us. "

The black clouds were now chasing one another across the sky, and thewind made a curious whistling noise. Nevertheless the boat was sailinggloriously, and in spite of the oncoming squall Tom and Madge wereenjoying themselves immensely, though neither of them was much pleasedwith their fellow traveler. 

The stranger turned to Madge. "You must tell your friend that he'llhave to land me somewhere else than in that picnic party, " he mutteredhoarsely. "I tell you I have a reason. I do not want to meet anysociety folks. "

"I am sorry, " answered Madge distantly, her eyes growing stormy at theyoung man's peremptory tone. "Mr. Curtis explained to you why we arein a hurry to land. As long as he took you aboard our boat with us asa favor, you have no right to ask us to change our course. "

The stranger clenched his fists and glanced angrily at Tom. 

"Ain't you going to land me somewhere else first?" he demanded in asnarling voice. 

Tom quietly shook his head. The sailboat was now only a little morethan half a mile from the pier. The wind was fair, blowing them almoststraight to the pier. 

Tom Curtis was not looking. Suddenly the fellow sprang up and threwthe tiller over. The boat jibed sharply. Madge cried out in quickalarm. Her cry saved Tom Curtis from being knocked overboard by theboom as it swung over to the other side of the boat. 

"Keep away from this tiller, " Tom called out angrily, seeing that theirboat had now entirely changed its course. "I am sailing this boat. "

"You are not sailing her, if you don't take her in where I say, " theintruder declared fiercely. His eyes were bloodshot and his teethclosed together with a snap. He stood by as if he were going to springat Tom Curtis. 

Madge's cheeks were burning. She was so angry that her throat felt dryand parched. "Don't pay any attention to him, " she called indignantly. Tom Curtis hesitated. 

"I don't fight when I have a woman guest on board the boat, " hedeclared doggedly. "Once I run my boat in to the pier, you will answerfor this. "

"Never mind threatening me: I'm not afraid of you. You know you havegot to land me where I say. What do you care about where you land? Itis where _I_ land that is important. " Again the stranger made a rushfor the tiller. 

Tom sprang upon him. The two were evenly matched, and Madge held herbreath as she watched them struggle. Brownie, Tom's setter dog, sprangfor the stranger's leg, then retreated to one end of the boat howlingwith pain. The intruder had swung back his foot and dealt the dog asavage kick. 

The rain had now begun to fall heavily, and the deck soon becameslippery as glass. The two young men continued to struggle. Tomrealized that he was endangering Madge's life, as well as his own, inthis reckless battle on the deck of a small boat. He thought he nowhad the advantage. If he could only settle his hateful passenger withone swift blow all would he well. With this thought in mind he torehimself from the grasp of his antagonist, but he had forgotten theslippery deck. His foot shot out from under him, and he went down in aheap, falling heavily on one shoulder. The stranger sprang upon him, and now it was the ungrateful passenger who had the advantage and wasmercilessly pushing him with both arms toward the edge of the boat. Slowly Tom gave way, inch by inch. He was conscious of a racking painin his shoulder. He tried to raise his right arm; then a feeling offaintness swept over him, he reeled, and, before Madge could move tohis help, Tom Curtis fell backward into the water. 

CHAPTER XII

A BRAVE FIGHT

"Bring her to!" cried Madge imperiously, starting toward the stranger, who now stood by the tiller. 

"I can't bring her to, I'm no sailor, " answered the young ruffiancoolly. "I didn't push your friend overboard; he fell. You had bettersail the boat yourself instead of standing there giving me orders. "

Madge regarded the stranger with horrified eyes. "You did push himoverboard, " she accused. "I saw you do it. If he drowns, you will beheld responsible. "

"I didn't, I tell you. Better be careful what you say. It wouldn'ttake much to send you after him, " was the stranger's menacing retort. 

With a look of withering scorn Madge coolly turned her back on theintruder. She would not take the trouble to bandy words with him. Shewas too angry to experience the slightest fear of this scowling, ill-favored youth. Her superb indifference to his threat made avisible impression upon him. With a muttered word he slouched to thebow of the boat, where he crouched, glaring at her with the eyes of anangry animal brought to bay. 

Although not more than a minute had passed since Tom disappeared overthe side of the boat it seemed hours to the frightened girl. She mustact quickly or Tom would be lost. 

During their sail she had watched Tom Curtis manoeuvre the boat and hadpaid particular attention to his manner of "bringing it to. " It hadappeared to be a comparatively simple process and she laughinglyremarked that she believed she could do it herself. Now theopportunity had come to prove her words. Grasping the tiller, shebrought the boat directly into the eye of the wind. A moment later thesails flapped in the breeze, and the boat floated idly in the heavyrolling sea. 

The stranger had not in reality given Tom the final shove that sent himoverboard. At the edge of the boat he had suddenly relaxed his hold, and Tom, faint from the pain of his injured shoulder had toppledbackward. The shock of striking the water revived him somewhat, and ashe felt himself slipping down he made a brave effort to swim, then, finding it useless, managed to turn on his back and float. 

Still keeping her hand on the tiller, Madge strained her eyes to watchhis every movement. "Try to make it, Tom, " she shouted encouragingly. "You've only a little farther to swim. Come on; I'll help you into theboat. "

"I'm afraid I can't, Madge, " he called faintly. "I've hurt myshoulder. I can't swim. "

The girl at the tiller bent forward to catch the sound of her friend'svoice. Then she answered with the bravery of despair: "You must keepon floating. You are not going to drown. I am coming after you. "

At the same instant Madge divested herself of her coat, shoes and theskirt of her suit and poised herself for a dive into the angry water. "Keep the head of the boat to the wind, " was her curt command to thestranger, "I am going after Mr. Curtis. "

"You're crazy!" shouted the stranger, leaping to his feet. "You cannever save the man in such a sea as this. You'll both be drowned!"

His tardy expostulation fell upon unheeding ears. Madge was in thewater and swimming toward Tom. Expert swimmer that she was, she knewthat she was risking her own life. The tide was against her, and eventhough she did reach Tom before he sank again, it would be hard work tosupport him and swim back to the boat in such a heavy sea. 

The sky was now dark, the waves had grown larger, and a pelting rainhad begun to beat down in Madge's face. Tom had risen to the surfaceof the water again, and was feebly trying to swim toward her. He hadshuddered with despair when he first caught sight of her in the water. But his faint, "Go back! Go back!" had not reached her ears. Norwould she have heeded him had she heard. 

His intrepid little rescuer was swimming easily along, with firm, evenstrokes. Little water-sprite that she was, she would have enjoyed thebreakers dashing over her head and the tingle of the fine salt spray inher face if she had not realized the danger that lay ahead. 

"Keep floating until I can get to you!" she called out to Tom. She didnot speak again, for she did not mean to waste her breath. 

Tom was making an heroic effort to keep himself afloat. But he wasgrowing weaker and weaker, and the last vestige of his strength wasgiving way. As Madge reached him, he managed to reach out and clutchher arm, hanging to it with a force that threatened to pull them bothunder. He was making that instinctive struggle for life usually putforth by the drowning. Madge experienced a brief flash of terror. "Don't struggle, Tom, " she implored. 

Even in his semi-conscious state Tom must have heard his companion'swords. He ceased to fight, his body grew limp, and, clasping one ofhis hands in her own strong, brown fingers, Madge swam toward the spotwhere she had left the sailboat. Never once did she relax her hold onthe burden at her side. Now and then she glanced up at their boat. Each time she caught a glimpse of it it seemed to be farther away. Could it be possible that the wind and the tide were carrying thesailboat ashore faster than she could swim? Surely the youth on boardwould come forward to help them. Now the waves that dashed overMadge's head and lashed across her face sent echoing waves of despairover her plucky soul. Tom was too far gone to know or to care what washappening. The responsibility, the fight, was hers. 

"I must save him, " she thought over and over again. "It does not somuch matter about me; I haven't any mother. But Tom----"

Her bodily strength was fast giving out, but her spirit remainedindomitable. It was that spirit that was keeping them afloat in themidst of an angry sea. 

But as for gaining on the sailboat, she was right. No matter how greather effort, she was not coming any nearer to it. The last time shelooked up from the waves she could catch only a glimpse of the boat farahead. 

It seemed incredible. It was too awful to believe. The stranger shehad left on board the sailboat was not coming to their aid. He wasdeliberately taking their boat to shore, leaving them to the mercy ofthe sea. 

Even with this realization Madge did not give up the battle. The armthat held Tom Curtis felt like a log, it was so stiff and cold. Shecould swim no longer, but she could still float. There were othercraft that were putting in toward the shore. If she could only keep upfor a few moments, surely some one would save them!

But at last her splendid courage waned. She was sinking. The rescuerwould come too late! She thought of the circle of cheerful faces shehad left two hours before. Then--a cold, wet muzzle touched her face, a pair of strong teeth seized hold of her blouse. Tom's setter dog, Brownie, had managed to swim to his master. The animal's gallanteffort to save Tom inspired Madge to fresh effort, and once more shetook up the battle for her life and that of her friend. 

CHAPTER XIII

LIFE OR DEATH?

"Is there no hope?" a voice asked despairingly. 

"There is hope for a long time, " answered Phyllis Alden quietly. "Ihave heard my father say that people may sometimes be revived afterbeing in the water for many hours. "

"She must live, or I can not bear it, " declared Tom Curtis brokenly. "Oh, won't some one go for a doctor? Can't you do something else forher?"

"The man has gone for a doctor, Tom, " soothed Mrs. Curtis. "Does yourarm pain you much?"

"Never mind my arm, " groaned Tom. "She saved my life, mother, and nowshe's dead. " His voice broke. 

"You mustn't say that, " cried Phyllis sharply. "She _can't_ be dead. "

"Phil, " entreated Miss Jones, "let me take your place. I am sure I cando what you are doing. "

Phyllis shook her head. "I can't leave her. "

Phyllis Alden knelt on the ground on one side of the unconscious girl. Jack Bolling and an old fisherman knelt opposite her. The artist, Mr. Brown, was trying to assist in restoring Madge to consciousness. Phyllis Alden had been drilled in "first aid to the drowning" by herfather. Long experience with the sea had taught the sailor what to do. But Madge had resisted all their efforts to bring her to consciousness. She had battled too long with the merciless waves and her strength wasgone before the fisherman, coming home in his rowboat, had spied thethree figures at the moment when Madge was about to give up the fight. He had hauled her and Tom inside his boat, and poor Brownie had somehowmanaged to swim ashore. 

On the beach the fisherman found an anxious group of picnickerswatching the storm with fearful eyes. Their fear was changed tohorror, however, when the fisherman deposited his ghastly freight onthe beach. 

Fifteen minutes after being brought to shore Tom Curtis had returned toconsciousness. His first words were for Madge. Although Tom had beena longer time in the water than his rescuer, his injured arm, which wassprained, but not broken, had prevented him from making so fierce astruggle; therefore he was far less exhausted than was his companion. To those who watched anxiously for the first faint sign of returninglife it seemed hours since the fisherman had laid that still form onthe sand. It was none other than the old fisherman who discovered thefaint spot of color which appeared in Madge's cheeks, then disappeared. After that the work of resuscitation went on more steadily than ever, and slowly and painfully Madge came back to life. Strange noisessounded in her ears. A gigantic weight was pressing upon her chest. She tried to speak, but it was choking her, crushing her. She made anheroic effort to throw it off, and then her eyes opened and dimly shebeheld her friends. 

"She has come back to us. " Phil's voice was ineffably tender. Sheglanced up and her eyes met those of Jack Bolling. Forgetting herdislike for him, she smiled. She remembered only that he was Madge'scousin. Jack had always thought Phil ugly, but as he gazed into herbig, black eyes and white, serious face, he decided that she had morecharacter than any other girl he had ever met, and he would neverforget the splendid effort she had made to save his cousin. 

As soon as the work of resuscitation was completed and Madge declaredout of danger, Mrs. Curtis insisted that on their return to themainland her son's brave little rescuer should be taken to theBelleview Hotel, where she would be able to rest far more comfortablythan if carried on board the houseboat. 

A yacht was chartered to take the picnic party home. The sailboat hadcompletely disappeared, and Tom was able to tell only a part of theirstrange adventure. From whence the youth whom they had taken on boardtheir boat had come and why he had made off with their boat and leftthem to drown were questions which no one seemed able to answer. 

It was not until two days later that the fisherman, searching along thevery shore from which they had started, found the sailboat restingquietly at anchor about two miles from the pier where the picnic partyhad landed. The boat was uninjured, and Madge's hat, coat and skirtlay on the deck, where she had thrown them when she dived into the bay. But the wild lad who had caused the mischief had vanished completely. No one near had seen or heard of him. His identity was a mystery. Ifany one of the fisher folk knew his name, or where he had gone, theydid not betray that knowledge. Mrs. Curtis wished to offer a rewardfor the fellow's capture. Tom would not consent. He intended to findhis enemy himself, and to settle his own score. At night Tom used tolie awake for hours to plan how he would track the stranger and at lastrun him down. But in the day time he was much too fully occupied withentertaining his mother's young guest to plan revenge. 

Madge had been the guest of Mrs. Curtis at the Belleview Hotel for fivedays. It had taken but a day for her to recover from the effect of hernarrow escape from drowning. She possessed far too happy a dispositionto dwell long on an uncomfortable memory, and her recent mishap soonbecame like a dream to her. But her feeling of affection for Mrs. Curtis was not in the least like a dream, and grew stronger with everyhour she spent in her new friend's company. It was a red letter timefor Madge. 

Mrs. Curtis tried in every possible way to manifest her gratitude. Hadnot Madge saved her son's life? She felt that she could make noadequate return for the heroic service the young girl had rendered her. 

She insisted that the most attractive apartment in the hotel should beMadge's and surrounded her with all sorts of luxuries. The younggirl's suite consisted of a cosy little sitting room and a wonderfulbedroom with white, rose-bordered walls and Circassian walnutfurnishings. There was a little, white bath leading out from thebedroom and Madge reveled in her new-found treasures. 

All day long her apartment was lovely with flowers. Tom Curtis ordereda box of roses to be delivered to her each day from Baltimore. Theroses were presented to Madge every morning when the maid brought upher breakfast-tray, and for the first time in her life Miss Madgeenjoyed the luxury of eating her breakfast in bed. Boxes of candybecame so ordinary that she fairly pleaded with her friends when theycame to visit her to take them back to the houseboat. 

"Madge will never be happy again on the 'Merry Maid, ' will she, girls?"The four girls were rowing back to their floating home after a visit totheir friend. 

"Yes, she will, " returned Phil stoutly, though she felt a slight pangwhen she remembered how cheerfully Madge had kissed them goodbye. 

"I am sure she is well enough to come home now, " burst forth Lillian, "only Mrs. Curtis and Tom won't hear of it. Dear me! I suppose ourlittle captain is happy at last. She has always dreamed of what itwould feel like to be rich and a heroine, and now she is both. Butnothing seems quite the same on the boat, " she added wistfully. "Ithink we are all homesick for her. "

Miss Jennie Ann laughed at their doleful faces. "She will soon be withus again, " she declared. "I'll tell you a secret. She is coming hometo the houseboat day after to-morrow. She whispered to me to-day thatthere was really no reason why she should stay any longer with Mrs. Curtis, and that she did not wish to presume on her hospitality. Mrs. Curtis is very fond of her. She does not wish Madge to leave her. "Miss Jones looked so mysterious that the girls regarded her curiously. "I think it is a good thing for Madge and for Mrs. Curtis to spend afew days together. Mrs. Curtis is lonely and needs good company, "added Miss Jones. 

"So do we, " murmured Phil, with a rueful laugh. "We need Madge as muchas Mrs. Curtis does. "

After the girls had left her, Madge lay back luxuriously among herlinen pillows. She was looking very lovely in a pale pink silk teagown Mrs. Curtis had insisted on her wearing, for Madge had arrived atthe hotel with no clothes other than the wet garments she had on whenrescued from the waves. Her fine clothes occupied very little of herthoughts, however. She had something of far greater import on her mind. 

The time had come to tell Mrs. Curtis that she must go back to thehouseboat. She was not sorry to go; she was only sorry to leave hernew friends. During her stay at the hotel Mrs. Curtis had treatedMadge as though she were her own daughter. The imaginative young girlwas completely fascinated with the beautiful, white-haired woman, whosesad face seemed to indicate that she had suffered some tragedy in herlife. While Madge lay thinking of the most courteous way in which toannounce that she must return to the "Merry Maid" a light knock soundedon her door. Tom's mother came softly into the room, gowned in anexquisite afternoon costume of violet organdie and fine lace, which wasvery becoming to her white hair and youthful face. 

"Are you awake, Madge?" were her first words. "How do you feel?"

Her guest smilingly raised herself from her pillows. "I am awake ascan be, and as well as can be! To tell you the truth, Mrs. Curtis, Ihave never been in the least ill from my adventure. I was tired theday after it happened, but since that time I am afraid I have allowedyou and Tom to believe that I was sick because I liked to be petted andmade much of. " Madge laughed frankly at her own confession. "You havebeen so good to me, and I do appreciate it, but now I must go home tomy comrades. Eleanor was awfully disappointed to-day when I told her Iwas not going back with them this afternoon. "

"I wish you would stay with me longer, " pleaded Mrs. Curtis, taking thegirl's firm brown hand in hers and looking down at it gravely, as itlay in her soft white one. She gazed earnestly at Madge's clear-cut, expressive face. "Tom and I will be lonely without you, " she said. "Iwant a daughter dreadfully, and Tom needs a sister. If only you weremy own daughter. "

Madge sighed happily. "It has been beautiful to pretend that I wasyour real daughter. It has been like the games I used to play when Iwas a little girl. I have been lying here in the afternoons, when youthought I was asleep, making up the nicest 'supposes. ' I supposed thatI was your real daughter, that I had been lost and you had found meafter many years. Just at first you did not know me, because time hadmade such a change in me. But---- Why, Mrs. Curtis, what is thematter?" There was wonder and concern in Madge's question. "You don'tmind what I have said, do you? I have been making up things to amusemyself ever since I was a little girl. " She looked anxiously into theface of the older woman. It was very white, and seemed suddenly tohave become drawn and old. 

"My dear child, I love to have you tell me of your little dreams andfancies, " said Mrs. Curtis affectionately, laying her hand on Madge'shead. "What made you think I didn't?"

"You looked as though what I said hurt your feelings, " returned Madge, coloring at her own frankness. 

"It was only that something you said brought back a painful memory, "explained the older woman. "I would prefer not to talk of it. Tellme, is there nothing I can do to induce you to remain with me a littlelonger?"

Her guest shook her head. "Thank you, " she replied gratefully, "but Imust go back to my chums. It won't be going away, really, for I willcome to see you as often as you like, and you and Tom and Jack mustvisit us on the houseboat. I want you to like the other girls _almost_as well as you do me, " smiled Madge. "Please don't like them quite aswell, though. That doesn't sound very generous, but I should like tofeel that I was first in your heart. "

"You shall be, my dear. " Mrs. Curtis bent and kissed the young girl'ssoft cheek. "And to prove just how much I do care for you I wish togive you something which I hope you will like and keep as a remembranceof me. I know your uncle and aunt will be willing to let you have thislittle gift when they learn of the spirit which prompted the giving ofit. " Mrs. Curtis drew from a little lavender and gold bag which shecarried a square, white silk box and laid it in the astonished littlecaptain's hand. 

"What--why--is it for me?" stammered Madge, sitting up suddenly, hereyes fastened on the box. 

"It is for no one else, " was the smiling answer. "Shall I open it foryou?"

Mrs. Curtis touched a tiny spring in the white box. It flew open!

There before Madge's wondering gaze, coiled on its dainty silk bed, laya string of creamy pearls. They were not large, but each pearl wasperfect, an exquisite bit of jewelry. Mrs. Curtis took the necklacefrom its case. She leaned over and clasped it about Madge's slenderthroat, saying: "Tom and I talked a long time about what we wished togive you as a slight remembrance of our appreciation of what you didfor us. At last we decided upon this as being particularly suitable toyou. Then, too, we wished to give you something that came up out ofthe sea. "

"It is the loveliest necklace in the world, " declared Madge happily, touching the pearls. "It is far too beautiful for me. I shall love itall my life and never, never part with it. You have been too good tome, Mrs. Curtis, " she added earnestly. 

"But think what you did for me, " reminded the stately, white-hairedwoman. 

"That isn't worth remembering. I did only what any one else would havedone if placed in the same circumstances. "

"But you saved my son's life, and that is the greatest service youcould possibly render me. "

Yet before her vacation was over Madge Morton was to perform for herfriend a further service equally great. 

CHAPTER XIV

MADGE COMES INTO HER OWN AGAIN

Lillian and Eleanor were in the houseboat kitchen, making chocolatefudge and a caramel cake. 

"I think it will be too funny for anything, " laughed Eleanor. "Let'skeep your surprise a secret from the others. It will be a delightfulway to celebrate Madge's return. Do you know that we have a hundredand one things to do today?" she added, stirring her cake batter asfast as she could. "This boat must be cleaned from stem to stern. Itold the boy from the farm to be here at nine o'clock this morning toscrub the deck. He hasn't put in his appearance yet. I wonder whichone of us can be spared to go and hurry him along?"

"Let's ask Miss Jenny Ann, " suggested Lillian slyly. "She has done hershare of the work already, and Mr. Brown is sketching the old gardennear the farmhouse. Haven't you noticed that our chaperon has beenvery much interested in art lately? Mr. Brown wishes to paint apicture of our houseboat. He has a fancy for this neighborhood. Hethinks it is so picturesque. 'Straws show which way the wind blows, 'you know. Watch the candy for me. I'll go ask Miss Jenny Ann if shewill go out and round up our faithless boy. "

Miss Jones was quite willing to go, and started out, leaving the girlsto their cleaning. Every now and then they were seized with a desireto work, which caused them to fall upon the houseboat and clean it fromend to end. This morning the fever had been upon them from the timethey had risen, and by the time Miss Jenny Ann started upon her errandit was in full swing. 

Jack Bolling and Tom Curtis were to bring Madge home late in theafternoon, and, as a surprise for Madge, the boys had been invited toremain to tea. It was therefore quite necessary that their floatinghome should be well swept and garnished. 

"Where's Phil?" asked Lillian, stepping from the kitchen out onto thedeck, where Eleanor had gone after having seen her cake safely in theoven. 

There came a series of raps on the cabin roof. Phil leaned over amongthe honeysuckle vines on the upper deck. "I am up here, maiden, digging in our window boxes. Want me for anything?"

"No, " returned Eleanor, as she vanished inside the kitchen again. "Butsing out if you see Miss Jenny Ann and the boy coming. "

A little while later Phil saw the figure of a young man coming slowlydown the path toward the houseboat. She thought, of course, that itwas the boy from the farm. She did not turn around. She was toodeeply engrossed in pulling up the weeds that had mysteriously appearedin their window boxes. When his footsteps sounded on the floor of thelower deck she called out carelessly, "Miss Seldon and Miss Butler arein the cabin waiting for you. Miss Jones is not here. I suppose shegave you the message. "

The youth, who had been moving cautiously toward the houseboat, was notthe boy for whom the girls were waiting. This one had black, curlyhair and wild dark eyes. He looked up and down the shore. There wasno one in sight. 

Although there were several farmhouses beyond the embankment thatsloped down to the inlet of the bay, there was no house within callingdistance of the "Merry Maid. " Their boat was anchored to the pier onlya few yards from the shore, tied firmly to one of the upstanding posts. The youth grinned maliciously. He decided that he had met with anunexpected stroke of good luck. He was hungry and penniless. Nothingcould be easier than to terrify the girls on board into submission, take what money and food they had, and be off with it before any oneappeared to help them. If it was a desperate venture, well, he musttake a desperate chance. He could not wander around in the woodsforever with no food or money. 

Meanwhile Phil had not once glanced behind her. "You'd better beginscrubbing at once, " she directed. "We have been waiting for you a longtime. We wish to get our houseboat in order. We are going to give aparty for our friends. Do hurry, there is such a lot to do. "

The young man below was not troubling himself about the amount of workto be done; he had other matters to consider. This girl on top thecabin deck was evidently expecting some one. She would not come downher little ladder unless she heard a noise or disturbance from below. The next question was, how many girls were on board and where were they?

Eleanor and Lillian had finished the cake and the fudge. They hadbrought them into the living room and set them on the table to wait forthe evening tea party. Eleanor was tired. 

She had thrown herself down on a lounge and her eyes were closed. Lillian, with her back to the door, stood talking to her friend. Theydid not hear the intruder's light footfalls. 

Suddenly Lillian felt her two hands caught roughly behind her in such apowerful grasp that she staggered back. Eleanor sprang from the couch, opening her eyes in amazement! She saw Lillian struggling with a manwhose face wore the expression of a hungry animal. 

"Don't scream, " he ordered harshly. "Give me what food and money youhave and I will let you go. If you scream, you will be sorry. " Heglared savagely at the two girls. 

Lillian tried to wrench her hands from his grasp. They were pinionedso tightly behind her that she could not move. Eleanor slipped off herdivan. She and Lillian had no weapons with which to defend themselves. Eleanor thought if she could get out of the room, while the man heldLillian, she could cry for help. Her first scream would bring Phyllisto their aid, and Phil would come to their assistance prepared to fight. 

Eleanor looked so young and girlish that no one would have expected herto show resistance. She tried to look even more frightened than shereally felt. "We haven't any money on board, " she said quietly. "Wedon't keep our money here, but if you are hungry, we will give yousomething to eat without your being so fierce. " Eleanor was edgingslowly away from her couch. 

"I don't want a slice of pie and your stale bread, " the man repliedangrily. "I want everything you have got, and I want it quick. "

Now was Eleanor's chance. Lillian gave another frantic tug, attemptingto free her hands. She had not cried out since the man seized her, buther face was contracted with pain. The robber was so fully occupiedwith holding her he was not looking at Eleanor, although his eyesslanted go curiously that he could apparently see on all sides of him. 

Eleanor made a quick rush forward. With a thud she fell to the floor, and lay stunned by the force of her fall. The tramp, still holdingLillian by her wrists, had jerked her backward, thrown out his foot andtripped Eleanor. Now, before Lillian could scream, he whipped out adirty handkerchief and tied it so tightly about her mouth that shecould scarcely breathe. He next took a piece of twine and twisted itabout Lillian's wrists, so that the cord cut into them. 

While this scene of violence was being enacted Phil was perfectly happyand strangely unconscious of any trouble. She was still at work, sweeping the upper deck and clearing it of the trash she had made withher gardening. She was humming gayly to herself or she would haveheard the sounds below more plainly. "There was a man in our town, andhe was wondrous wise. " She stopped short. She had heard a noise, asthough something had fallen. But then, the girls were always droppingthings and stumbling over their few pieces of furniture. There was nofurther noise. Phil went on with her singing. But why did Lillian andEleanor not start the farmer boy to scrubbing? It was getting late, and they wished to decorate the boat. Phil was too busy at her owntask to go down to discover the reason. 

The tramp gazed sarcastically at Lillian, whose eyes watched himdefiantly, then at Eleanor, who was still lying on the floor. "Now, girls, " he began with mock politeness, "I imagine you will be kindenough to be quiet for a time at least. So I think I will look aroundto see if there is anything here that I would like. " He seized poorLillian's plate of chocolate fudge and stuffed the candy into hispockets. Then he left the sitting room and crept into the bedroomwhich was used by Miss Jones and Eleanor. He found Eleanor's purseunder her pillow and pocketed it. On the small dressing-table was MissJenny Ann's purse. He chuckled softly. This was the best of the sport. 

Phil's humming upstairs stopped. Why did that lazy farmer boy not getto his work? And where were Lillian and Nellie? Phil listened. Shethought she heard such an odd noise. It was as though some one weretrying to talk while choking. She ran lightly down the outside cabinsteps, her broom still in her hand. She peered into the kitchen. Itwas empty. Phil did not go into the sitting room next. Some instinctmust have guided her. Had she seen the plight poor Lillian and Eleanorwere in, she must have screamed and betrayed herself. Instead shestepped into Miss Jones's bedroom. 

The youth, with his back to the door, had ears like the creatures ofthe woods. Under other circumstances he would have heard Phyllis'sapproach. But something in the discovery of Miss Jenny Ann's poorlittle purse seemed to give him special joy. He was opening it andemptying it of its last penny. 

Phil saw him from the open cabin door. She did not think--she acted. She saw, as she supposed, the farmer lad, intent on robbing them. Philbrought her broom down on the boy's head with a resounding whack. 

The tramp started forward with a growl. For the moment he was nearlyblinded from the pain of the blow. 

Phil recognized that discretion was now the better part of valor. Shedashed out of one door, then into another, the youth stumbling afterher, raging with anger. She knew every turn and twist of the tinycabin. Instead of running around the deck, where she would surely havebeen captured, she darted in and out of the cabin doors, those on theinside, swinging backward and forward, sometimes closing a door in theface of her pursuer. 

She was almost overcome with horror when she saw Lillian and Eleanor inthe sitting-room. Lillian could not speak, but her eyes pleaded withPhil. Phyllis had no reason not to cry out. As she ran she screamedwith all her might:

"Help, help, help!" Some one would soon be passing along the shore whowould come to their aid. 

The thief did not like the noise Phyllis made. He also thought hercries would be heard on the shore. He had found what he wanted. Hehad no idea of being caught on the houseboat. But he had spiedEleanor's caramel cake on the table. He would take that and be off ina hurry. 

As he grabbed Eleanor's cake, the product of her morning's work and thechief ornament of their tea party, Eleanor opened her eyes. The sightwas more than she could bear. She gave a heart-rending scream. Itadded to the tramp's alarm. He made for the shore as fast as he couldrun. 

Phil saw him start. She ran back of the kitchen and caught upsomething that lay coiled in a heap on the deck. As the thief ran downthe gang plank and leaped on the land, it flew through the air with ahissing, swinging noise. The youth fell face downward, his arms closeto his sides, letting the beloved cake drop to the ground. 

Not for nothing had Miss Phyllis Alden seen Miss Jenny Ann rescued froma wild bull by means of a lasso. Not for nothing had she spent hoursof her time, and one of her few dollars, in acquiring the skillnecessary to the swinging of a lariat. She now had her enemy heldfast. At the same instant that Phil caught her prey, before he hadtime to jerk away, she knotted her rope about the cleat that held theanchor. 

On the shore, the youth tugged and strained. He ran back into thewater. It struck him that he might climb aboard the boat again. Buthis arms were caught down at his sides. It was impossible for him toget at a knife to cut the ropes. He could ease off the noose with histeeth, but it would be a slow process of escape. 

As soon as Phil had her victim fast, she rushed back into the sittingroom. She found Eleanor on her feet, engaged in untying thehandkerchief from Lillian's face and cutting the twine that was boundabout her swollen wrists. 

"I've caught the enemy and he is ours, " declared Phil cheerfully. "Ihave him tied to the side of the boat. I can't say how long it maytake him to get away, and he may climb back on the boat and try to eatus up. But, at least, we can get ready for him. "

The robber was doggedly working at the rope that bound him. "I amgoing to get back at you, " he yelled savagely. 

"Oh, why doesn't some one come?" cried Eleanor. "I am so afraid he'llget away. "

There was a cheerful whistle at the top of the embankment. It turnedto one of horrified amazement as the artist, Theodore Brown, took inthe situation. 

"What has happened?" he called out as he ran down the hill, swinging asmall stick in his hand. "I heard your screams away over in thefields. What have you got there?"

Phil told the story, "What shall we do with our prisoner, Mr. Brown?We can't be bothered with him. We must get ready for our tea party, "she concluded. 

"I don't know what you wish to do with the young rascal, " rejoined Mr. Brown, "but I know very well what I intend to do. " The artist's facewas set and stern. His eyes gleamed with righteous anger. Then hebegan calmly rolling up his sleeves. He went forward to the prisoner. "I am going to give you a taste of this, " he declared, swinging hisstick through the air. It hit Phil's captive with a swish, once, twice, three times. Mr. Brown was just warming up to his work. 

"Leave me alone, " the fellow howled. "Aren't you a coward to hit mewhen I can't get at you!"

"You were not troubled about being a coward when you tried to terrorizethree girls and got pretty badly left, " Mr. Brown answered coolly, giving the youth another cut. 

The bully groaned. The girls could not endure it. If the lad hadtaken his medicine like a man they might have borne the sight of hispunishment. But there is nothing more sickening than the fear of acoward. 

"Please stop now, Mr. Brown, " entreated Lillian. "I am sure you havepunished the boy enough. Make him give up the money he has stolen, butdon't beat him any more. "

"No, please, don't beat him any more, " echoed Eleanor. 

Phil could have endured to see the thrashing continue a little longer. But she did not wish to appear hard-hearted. 

"Just as you like, " answered Mr. Brown. "I am enjoying myself, but Iwill quit if you say so. Don't you think I had better turn him over tothe police?"

"No, " Phil protested. "He won't trouble us again, now he knows we canlook after ourselves. Next time he wouldn't get off so easily. "

The youth vowed never to come within the range of the houseboat if hewere permitted to go free this time. As he got out of sight he stoppedto shake his fist at the distant houseboat, and he vowed to be revengedfor the punishment he had received if it cost him his life. 

The girls begged Mr. Brown to say nothing to their chaperon of theirencounter. Miss Jenny Ann was already dreadfully nervous about themand, besides, it would spoil Madge's home coming. 

By the middle of the afternoon Eleanor had made another caramel cakeand Lillian another plate of fudge. The farmer boy had come down afterluncheon, and had scrubbed the decks of the houseboat to the lastdegree of cleanliness. The girls had hung flags everywhere, and on theoutside of the cabin, facing the water, Phyllis had hung a piece ofwhite bunting with the word "Welcome" stamped on it in large letters. This was the first thing Madge would see as she came within sight ofthe houseboat. 

Inside the cabin the table was set for tea. It held the best pickles, preserves, cold meats and jellies that the houseboat larder couldfurnish. Lillian had made a pitcher of lemonade and another of icedtea. Miss Jones had roasted potatoes, and her corn muffins were readyto slip into the oven as soon as she heard their friends approaching. 

The three girls and their chaperon wore simple white frocks, with bluesashes knotted about their waists, for blue and white were thehouseboat colors. 

They were watching a golden sunset from the deck of their ship when, together, they espied a figure standing up in a small skiff that wasmoving in their direction. The boat was rowed by one man. The otherman sat with his arm in a sling. The upright figure was waving a greatbunch of flowers. 

"Madge is coming!" cried Phil. The four women got out theirhandkerchiefs and shouted across the water. 

As Madge climbed aboard the boat a strange, squeaky sound greeted her. First it played fast, then slow. It was undoubtedly music. 

 "My bonnie lies over the ocean, My bonnie lies over the sea, My bonnie lies over the ocean, Oh, bring back my bonnie to me. "

The tune was old as the hills. 

"What on earth is that?" demanded Madge, as she kissed her chaperon andstarted around the semi-circle of her chums. 

"It's Lillian's surprise!" Eleanor explained. "It's a hurdy-gurdy. Wefound it in the village. I know it is pretty old. But Lillianpersuaded the man to bring it on board, as we thought it would be jollyto have a dance on the deck to-night in honor of Miss Madge Morton, captain of the 'Merry Maid. '"

CHAPTER XV

A CALL FOR HELP

"Madge, you must go over to Fisherman's Island with me, " urged Phil afew days later. "I feel dreadfully about Mollie. I promised the poorgirl that we would come to see her soon. Now, a long time has passed;we have never been there. Eleanor and Lillian are anxious to go alongwith me. Mollie is perfectly lovely, and I am heartily sorry for her. Do come with us, there's a dear. Don't pretend you are tired, or makeMiss Jones think you are sick. You are just as well now as any of therest of us. If you don't come, it is just because you want to stayhere to read that silly novel. Real people are much more interestingthan stories. "

Madge yawned and stretched herself lazily in the steamer chair. "Phil, it is awfully hot on the water. Couldn't we go to see your girl someother time? If she has waited this long, she may as well wait a littlelonger. You see, I promised Mrs. Curtis I wouldn't go out in the sun. "

"Madge Morton, you are putting on airs. Going out in the sun, indeed!"Phil sniffed disdainfully. "When did the sun ever hurt you? You justlove to have people spoil you. You know there is nothing in the worldthe matter with you now. But please don't come, if you do not wish to. Nellie and Lillian and I are going now. "

Phyllis walked quietly away, with her head in the air. Madge wasreally too provoking. 

Madge closed her book with a bang and rushed after her friend. "Ofcourse I wish to go with you, Phil. I am interested in your prettygirl. I had reached the most exciting part of my story when you askedme, and---- Now, you will hurt my feelings dreadfully if you don't letme go along with you! Just think, Phyllis Alden. You said I wasspoiled, and that I liked to pretend I was sick, and I didn't get onebit angry. Don't you truly think my temper is improving?"

Phyllis laughed. "Oh, come on, if you like. Do you think Miss JennyAnn would mind my taking the poor girl a basket of nice things? I meanthings that any girl would like. My friend isn't in the least like abeggar. "

"Of course, Miss Jones will let you do anything you like, Phil, "replied Madge. "I am the only person she does not approve of. " Madgefelt angry because her chaperon had intimated that Madge was hurtingEleanor's feelings by talking so much of her Mrs. Curtis and thebeautiful time she had spent with her. And Madge, though she neededcriticism even more than most other girls, was just as little pleasedat receiving it. 

The girls rowed over to the island in a short time. It was a lovelyday, and not too warm on the water. 

"I wonder, Phil, if there is a chance of our coming across the thiefwho attacked you on the houseboat? He may he in hiding on thisisland, " said Madge as the four girls pulled their skiff up on thebeach. "From your description I feel almost certain that he is thesame boy who went off with our sailboat. I'd like to come across himagain. "

"Well, I wouldn't, " declared Lillian. "I am not so bloodthirsty as yougirls are. "

The girls met no one along the beach, except a few children. Phil ledthem straight to the tent, where she had talked with the afflictedgirl. "Of course, there isn't much of a chance that we shall findMollie in the tent, " explained Phil, "but I thought I would look herefirst. "

"Do you know the girl's name, Phil?" queried Eleanor. 

Phyllis shook her head. "Not her real name. I only call her Molliebecause her dreadful old father called her 'Moll, ' and 'Moll' is anugly name. "

The tent was more forlorn and dilapidated than ever. It was empty. There was not a sign of life anywhere about, except for a few fadedwild flowers cast carelessly in the corner of the tent. 

Madge picked them up. "These flowers make me think of poor 'Ophelia'in the play of 'Hamlet. ' Ophelia went mad, you know, and wanderedabout with wild flowers in her hair. "

"Mollie isn't the least bit crazy, Madge. You will understand that assoon as you see her, " protested Phil. "It is only that she is like achild, and does not remember things. Would you girls mind going aroundto the other side of the island? Mollie said their shanty boat wasover there. I do so want to find her. "

Lillian hesitated. "I don't think we ought to go among those roughfishermen again, " she protested. "We are sure to see some rude sailorsover there who might speak to us. "

"Oh, don't worry, Lillian, " reassured Madge. "I am sure no one woulddare say anything to us. "

Madge was now deeply interested in the discovery of Phil's friend andlonging for any kind of adventure. She had fully made up her mind tosee Mollie if it were possible. 

It was more than a mile walk around the island. But the girls came, atlast, to a spot where they again beheld a dirty canal boat made fast toa tree on the sandy shore. A huge woman, with a coarse, dreadful face, sat out on deck holding a baby in her lap. Several small childrenplayed near her. But there was no sign of Mollie. Captain Mike wasgone, and with him his sailboat. 

Phil went as near the edge of the shore as she could. The woman gazedat the four chums with sullen curiosity. She presumed that they hadcome to ask her husband to take them out sailing. But Phil spoke upboldly: "May we see your daughter?" she inquired politely. "I met herthe other day on the island and told her we would come to see her. "

The woman's expression changed at once to an ugly scowl. Phil andMadge wondered why their request should make her so angry. What harmcould come from their calling on the poor, half-crazed girl? Surely itwas plain that they meant her no wrong. 

"We want to be friends with your daughter, " Madge declared haughtily;"we do not wish to injure her. "

"Moll ain't here no more, " the woman replied sulkily. "Her father hastook her away. She ain't never coming back. " The woman grinned as thefour girls went away. 

"O Madge!" Phil exclaimed, with her eyes full of tears, "I do feel sosorry. I am afraid we have come too late. Poor Mollie will think Ihave broken my promise. What could have happened to her? Do you thinkher horrible old father has put her in an asylum? She told me that heoften threatened her, unless she did whatever he said. "

"Don't worry, Phil dear, " Madge replied sympathetically. "Perhaps thewoman was telling us a story and simply did not wish us to see herdaughter. I will come to the island with you again. Maybe we can findher next time. "

The girls hurried on until they were almost at the place where they hadleft their rowboat. Phil was unusually sorrowful and silent. Shestill carried her little basket with the gifts for her new friend. Thememory of a pair of wonderful blue eyes haunted her. Mollie's face hadlooked so longingly into hers; it was filled with a wistful sorrow andwas haunted by fear and loneliness. It was not that of one who is mad. 

"Girls, " spoke Phil quickly, "will you go on down to the boat and waitfor me? I am going to run over to the tent and take another look inthere. At any rate, I am going to leave this basket of food. I won'tbe gone but a minute. "

Phyllis walked rapidly toward the tent. She half hoped she would findthe vanished girl inside it. But the tent was still empty. Phil setdown her basket. She was strangely disappointed and grieved. Shecould do nothing more. There was nothing to do save go back to herfriends. As she stepped toward the tent opening her foot caught in apiece of ragged carpet. Like a flash Phyllis remembered. Had she nottold Mollie to slip a note under this carpet if she was ever in troubleor in danger and desired their help? Phil slid her hand under the rugand found a torn scrap of yellow wrapping paper. On it was penciled inthe handwriting of a child:

"I am in much trouble. Please, please come to help me. You promised. "

CHAPTER XVI

THE ATTEMPTED RESCUE

"I will go back to the shanty boat with you now, Phil, " volunteeredMadge when Phyllis returned to her chums, carrying the pathetic scrapof paper. "We have the food you brought in the basket, which we caneat for luncheon. Lillian and Nellie can row over to the houseboat totell Miss Jenny Ann that we mean to spend the day here. Then, perhaps, they will row back for us this afternoon. "

"I don't think we ought to leave you and Phil alone on this island, "remonstrated Eleanor, "especially when you won't have a boat. Ifanything should happen, there would be no chance of your getting away. "

"I'll tell you what to do, Nellie, " suggested Phil. "Suppose you andLillian go home and then send our boat over to us immediately. Thefarmer boy will bring it for us. He can tow it and then row back inhis own skiff. Ask him to anchor our boat in this same place. Madgeand I will come home as soon as we find out whether there is anythingwe can do for poor Mollie. "

Lillian and Eleanor were reluctant to leave their two friends. Butthere seemed nothing else to be done. The thought of their chaperon'sanxiety at last persuaded them to go, and they departed after promisingto send the boat over immediately they reached the "Merry Maid. "

"What do you think we had better do, Phil?" asked Madge as the othertwo girls rowed out of sight. 

Phil frowned and shook her head. "I haven't the faintest idea, Madge;I am afraid we are too late to do anything. That dreadful Mike hasalready taken his daughter away. I believe she wrote us several daysago, when she first heard what they meant to do with her. But I can'tunderstand why her father wishes to put her in an asylum. She is muchtoo useful to them. She does nearly all the washing and cooking onthat miserable old shanty boat. "

"I do wish we had some money, " declared Madge thoughtfully. "I believeMike would do anything for money. If we could only take care ofMollie, perhaps her father would let us have her. But you and I are aspoor as church mice, Phil. Isn't it horrid?"

"I don't believe the man would give his daughter to us if we merelyoffered to take care of her. She is too useful to him. But he mightlet her come with us if we could pay him a great deal of money besides. At least, if we offered him a bribe he might be influenced to tell uswhere poor Mollie is. However, there is no use in talking about money. We'll have to do the best we can without it, " finished Phil. 

The two friends were walking disconsolately along the shore of theisland. Neither one of them was anxious to return to the shanty boatfor another interview with the slatternly woman who presided over it. 

"Phil, " Madge's eyes brightened, "if we need any money to help thisgirl, I feel sure Mrs. Curtis will be glad to give it to us. She isrich and generous, and Tom says she dearly loves to do things for thosewho are in need. I should not mind in the least asking her help. Sheis very fond of young girls. "

"She is very fond of you, at any rate, " returned Phyllis, with asmothered sigh. "Sometimes I feel as though she wanted to take youaway from us for keeps. "

Madge laughed. "What nonsense, Phil. Why should she wish to take meaway for 'keeps'?"

But Phyllis did not reply to the little captain's laughing question. 

"Let's not go around to the shanty boat the way we did this morning. Let us go back the opposite way, and then we shall have encircled thewhole island, " planned Madge. "If Mollie is hidden anywhere, we mighthappen to discover her. "

The loneliness of their walk affected both Madge and Phyllis. Therewere no houses on the island. It was visited in the autumn for duckshooting, and in the summer was used as a camping ground for a fewfisher folk. The girls passed only one man in their entire journey. He was lying under a tree, fast asleep. A hat covered his face. Asthe two friends hurried by they did not seek to discover who the manwas. He was a rough-looking fellow, and they preferred not to awakenhim. 

This time the deck of the shanty boat was deserted. It was noon. Theother members of the small shanty colony must have been out on thewater, for there was no one in sight. 

The girls stood staring irresolutely at the boat. "I suppose the womanis indoors fixing the luncheon. I can see the smoke coming through thesmokestack, " declared Phil. "Shall we call to her, or just marchboldly aboard her old boat?"

"I don't know, " hesitated Madge. "I don't believe we ought to mentionMollie's note. We might get the child into more trouble. "

Phyllis shook her head. "Well, then, you decide upon something. Youalways plan things better than I do. I think we had better say that wehave come back to inquire of Captain Mike how long he expects Mollie tobe away. Then we can insist on waiting until his sailboat returns. "

The two girls strode bravely up the single, rickety board that servedas the gangplank of the shanty boat. At their first step on the dock ayellow dog rushed to the door of the dirty kitchen and set up a furiousbarking. Behind him stood the menacing figure of the woman whom Madgeand Phil had seen a short time before. About her torn skirts wereclustered three or four stupid-looking, tow-headed children. It wasimpossible for Phil to conceive how beautiful Mollie could be a memberof such a family. Yet the unfortunate girl had told Phyllis that shehad known no other than the hard, joyless life she had always led. 

It was Madge who opened the conversation this time. To herdisappointment she received no different answer to her inquiries thanhad Phil. "Moll was gone. " The woman did not know where she had goneand she didn't care. But she wasn't coming back. Further, Mollie'sstep-mother did not see what business Phil and Madge had in coming toask about her. 

"We are going to wait to talk to your husband, " announced Phil withquiet decision. 

"You git off my boat in a hurry, " the woman snarled angrily. "You canstay on the island all day if you like, but you can't hang around here. Mike won't be home before night, and he ain't goin' to tell you nothin'then. You'll find the beach pretty comfortable; it's so nice andshady. " The woman grinned maliciously. 

The two girls sat down on the stretch of hot sand near the water. Theywere doggedly determined to wait as long as possible for Mike Muldoon'sreturn. Mollie's pathetic appeal had touched Madge as deeply as it hadPhil, and they were both resolved to help the child if they could. 

The hours dragged by on leaden wings. Madge's head ached violently. Phil was beginning to think longingly of the basket of food which shehad left in the tent and wondering if it would do for her to go afterit while Madge stayed on guard. As she sat deliberating as to whatcourse of action would be the wisest, a sudden commotion arose amongthe children playing on the deck of the shanty boat. The dog began tobark furiously. "Mammy, here comes Pap, " the oldest child cried. 

The tired girls could see that a sailboat was being anchored near theshore. A few moments later Mike, who insisted on being called"Captain, " got into a skiff and rowed toward the land. 

Madge sprang to her feet and ran down to the edge of the water. Shewished to attract Mike's attention before he went aboard his own shantyboat. To think with her was to act. She realized that she must speakto the man before his wife could tell him the nature of their errand. If Mike Muldoon learned their real design, he might shut himself insidehis shanty and refuse to talk to them. 

[Illustration: The girls ran down to the water's edge. ]

Mike rowed toward his callers, who were anxiously waiting for him. Ashis boat scraped the shore his wife shrieked at him, "Come here fust, Mike! Don't you be goin' talkin' to the likes of them before I tellsyou somethin'. "

She was too late. Captain Mike had already turned to Madge. Hesupposed the girls had come to engage his sailboat. 

Captain Madge decided to try diplomacy. She did not wish to make thesailor angry. She hoped she might persuade him to do what they wished. 

"We have not come to rent your sailboat today, Captain Mike, " sheannounced cheerfully, "we are coming for that another time. What wewish now is to ask you what has become of your pretty daughter? Wehave crossed all the way over to the island to make her a call. Andnow we can't find her. We wish to make friends with her, if you don'tmind. "

"Moll can't make friends with nobody, " Mike answered suspiciously, hisskin turning a mottled red under its coat of tan. "I told you Moll wasfoolish. "

"Yes, I know, " answered Phil unwisely. "That is why we are so sorryfor her. "

Mike scowled darkly. "You ain't got no cause to be sorry for the gal. Who told you she was treated mean? Nobody don't hurt her. But youcan't see her. She is sick. "

"Why, your wife told us she had gone away!" exclaimed Phil impetuously. 

She could have cried with regret the next moment, for she realized howfoolish she had been. 

"So she has gone away, " Mike muttered, "and she is sick. I ain't noliar and my wife ain't neither. "

"When will she come back, Captain Mike?" asked Madge in a friendlytone, hoping the title of "captain" would soften the surly sailor. 

"She's not comin' back, " the man replied impatiently. "I've got to goto my dinner, and I ain't goin' to answer no more questions. Don't youcome foolin' around this way any more; my old woman don't like it. Iwarn you for your good. "

Phil was tired of deceit. She knew Mike had not told them the truth. "Captain Mike, " she demanded coolly, "have you put your daughter in anasylum? If you have, I think you have been both inhuman and cruel. Mollie is not crazy. If you will tell us where she is we will lookafter her, and she need not bother you any more. " She raised her darkeyes and gazed defiantly at the angry sailor, who shook his great redfist full in her face. 

"You'll take a man's own daughter away from him, will you?" he raged. "What makes you so interested in my gal? And who told you Moll wasshut up with a lot of crazies? My Moll is going to be married; she hasgone away to git her weddin' clothes. "

He laughed tantalizingly into the girls' faces as though well pleasedwith his own joke. 

"Mollie married?" Phil exclaimed in horror. "Why, she----" Then Philstopped herself and inquired, with an innocent expression of interest, "Whom did you say Mollie was going to marry?"

"She is going to marry Bill Barnes, a friend of mine, " retorted thesailor sarcastically, his heavy shoulders shaking with savageamusement. "He ain't much to look at. It's kind of a case of Beautyand the Beast with him and my Moll. But she's powerful fond of him. "

"Mike!" a shrill voice screamed from the shanty boat kitchen, "comealong in here. "

Mike glared at his questioners, his face set in savage lines. "Don'tnever come here agin, " he growled. "If you do, I ain't sayin' whatwill happen to you. " Turning abruptly he strode toward his boat, leaving the girls standing where he had first met them. 

There was nothing for Madge and Phil to do but to return once more totheir own boat. "O Madge! it is too dreadful!" exclaimed Phil in ahusky voice. "I understand now what poor Mollie meant. She said therewas one thing she would never do, no matter how cruel her father mighthe with her. Of course, she knew they were going to try to force herto marry some frightful looking fisherman. We simply must try to findher and save her. It is a wicked shame!"

"Don't be so wretched, Phil, " comforted Madge, though she felt equallymiserable. "You are right; we must find out how to save poor, prettyMollie. I can't think what we ought to do, just this minute, but wemust do our best. Now I think we shall have to go home and talk thingsover with Miss Jenny Ann and the girls. We will come back to-morrow, prepared to make a fight to save Mollie. Surely she can't be marriedby that time. "

The two friends stopped by the tent for their basket of food and satdown just outside it under a tree to eat their luncheon. Neither ofthem noticed that they had seated themselves with their backs to thewater, and they were so interested in talking of Mollie that they gaveno thought to the outgoing tide. By rising they could see their boatdrawn up on the shore, where, as arranged with Lillian and Eleanor, ithad been left by the farm boy. What they failed to notice, however, was the distance it lay from the water line, and they also hadforgotten that it was time for the going out of the tide. 

As they sat quietly eating their luncheon the sound of running feet wasborne to their ears. Nearer and nearer they came. Then round thecurve of the beach darted the object of their morning's search. With awild cry she flung herself upon Phil. "You said you would help me, "she moaned. "Oh, help me now. " Little rivulets of water ran from herragged clothing. The pupils of her dark blue eyes were distended withfear. Her dress was torn across her shoulder and an ugly bruise showedthrough it. There was a long, red welt on her cheek that looked asthough it had been made with a whip, and another across one forearm. 

Madge and Phyllis rushed toward the frightened girl. Phil put her armprotectingly about Mollie while Madge stood on guard. Resolution anddefiance looked out from their young faces. They were not afraid ofpoor Mollie's captors. They would fight for her. 

"How did you come to us? Where have you been?" questioned Phil. 

Five minutes had passed and no one had appeared. "Sit down here, Mollie. We won't let any one hurt you. "

"I was hidden in the shanty boat, locked in a dark closet, " falteredMollie, casting a terrified glance about her. "I heard you ask for me, but I could not come out. The woman is more cruel to me than the man. She would have killed me. But when my father came home he was so angrybecause you had been to see me that he beat me and said I must marryBill to-morrow, before you could come back to help me. Oh, he ishorrible! I won't marry him! I'll die first! I crawled through aporthole in the boat when I heard what they said. I dropped into thewater and swam and swam until I could land on the beach out of sight ofmy father's boat. Then I ran until I found you. But they will try tofind me. They may be looking for me now. Tell me, tell me what I mustdo?"

"Don't be frightened, " soothed Madge. "They can't force you to marryBill or any one else against your will. Phil and I will take care ofyou. Come with us. We are going over to our houseboat now. Yourfather need not know what has become of you. Hurry!" Madge waslistening intently for sounds announcing the coming of Mollie'spursuers. So far the girls were safe. A moment more and they would bein their rowboat. 

Linking their arms within Mollie's her rescuers hurried her along. Straight to the water's edge they ran, then a cry of consternation wentup from the two girls. 

"O Madge! what shall we do? We forgot all about the tide, " mournedPhil. "It has gone out, and now we'll have to drag our heavy boat halfa mile through the sand to the water or else wait until the tide runsin again before we can get away from the island. "

CHAPTER XVII

THE CAPTURE

Madge hurried down to where their rowboat lay. She dragged the anchorout of the sand and pulled at the skiff with all her might. Phil alsotook hold and together the two girls worked like beavers, but withoutsuccess. The boat was firmly wedged in the sand. 

"Is there any place on the island where we can hide, Mollie?"questioned Phil as the two girls rested for a moment from theirfruitless effort. "We can not leave here until the tide turns. "

"I know a cave, " said Mollie hesitatingly. "It is in the woods notvery far from the beach. But I am afraid they will find us there. "

"We had better go to it, " urged Madge, wiping the perspiration from hertired face. "At least we can hide in the cave for a while, until wemake up our minds what is best for us to do, We may not be discovereduntil the tide turns. Later on I shall slip down here again to see ifthings are safe, and then we can make a run for our boat. If we waithere along the shore, we shall not have the least chance of escaping. The first person who comes to look for Mollie will surely see us. Comeon. We have no time to lose. "

This time Mollie led the way through a tangle of trees and underbrushto the center of the little island. Here they found the cave which wasonly an opening behind an immense old tree that had been uprooted by astorm. A flat rock protruded over the hollow, and the sand hadgradually drifted away until the cavity was hardly large enough to holdthe three girls. These were cramped quarters, and they were onlypartially protected from view by the immense roots of the fallen tree, but they knew of no other refuge and resolved to make the best of it. 

The girls had barely crept into their hiding place when they heard anoise of some one tramping through the underbrush. A few moments latera man slouched along a narrow path between the trees. His hat waspulled down over his face, but Madge and Phil recognized him by hisdress as the man they had seen asleep on the ground earlier in the day. 

Mollie made no sound. She was hidden between the two friends, andnever in her life before, so far as she could recall, had she been soprotected by affection. But her increased trembling told her rescuersthat she had recognized the man who passed so near to them, and thatshe feared him. 

"It's Bill, " she faltered when the figure disappeared without havingthe slightest suspicion that he was being watched. "He is on his wayto our boat. He will ask for me, and my father will be sure to findout that I have gone. Then they will come out here to hunt for me. "

For a long time after Mollie's disquieting prediction none of the threeprisoners spoke. They hardly dared to breathe. Their bodies achedfrom their cramped, uncomfortable positions; they were hungry, and, worse than anything else, Madge and Phyllis were tormented with thirst. Since leaving the houseboat early in the morning they had drunk nowater. Phil was thinking remorsefully that all this trouble had comefrom her asking Madge to go with her to the island in search of Mollie. 

Madge was wondering just what she would do and say if Mollie's fathershould find them, while Mollie's delicate face had lost its expressionof apathy and now wore one of lively terror. Even the faint rustle ofleaves as a passing breeze swept through the trees caused her to start. An hour passed and no one came to look for them. Either Mike had notlearned of his daughter's escape, or else he had not taken the troubleto come to search for her. He must have believed that she would returnto the boat later on of her own accord, driven by hunger and loneliness. 

It was now growing late in the afternoon. Neither Madge nor Phylliswore a watch, so it was impossible to tell how much time they had spentin the cave. Miss Jenny Ann would wonder what had happened. Ofcourse, Lillian and Eleanor would explain matters. Miss Jones mightremember the tide and understand what was keeping them away. Yet therewas a lively possibility that she might fail to take the tide intoconsideration. 

At last Madge decided to end the suspense. 

She knew their skiff would float from the shore of Fisherman's Islandseveral hours before full tide. They had tried to make their escape atthe moment when the tide was almost at its lowest ebb. The tide hadbeen high that morning. It was nearly two o'clock in the afternoonwhen they had attempted to leave the island. She now believed it to bealmost five o'clock. At least, it was time to reconnoitre. She puther ear close to the ground. She could hear no sound of any oneapproaching. 

"Phil, " she whispered, "will you and Mollie please wait here for me. Iam going down to the water to see if it is possible to get the boatoff. It must be very late. Remember, high tide is at eight o'clockto-night. We ought to be able to pull away from here between five andsix o'clock. When I come back to tell you how things are we can make arun for it to the beach, and perhaps get a fair start before we areseen. "

"Let me go with you, " insisted Phil, as anxious as her chum to get outof their close quarters. 

"I don't think we ought to leave Mollie alone, " demurred Madge. "But, if you think best, you may go and I will stay here. "

Mollie's terror at Phyllis's suggestion of deserting her was too muchfor tender-hearted Phil. "No, I won't leave you, " she said gently, taking Mollie's hand in hers. "You had better run along, Madge. I'llstay here. But, for goodness' sake, do be careful. If anythinghappens to you, Mollie and I will starve in this cave like Babes in theWoods, if you don't come back to find us. "

Madge crawled cautiously out of the hole. Her muscles were so stiffthat she rose to her feet with difficulty. But she soon started offthrough the narrow path between the trees, making as little noise asshe possibly could. Her way through the grove of trees covered thegreater part of the distance to the shore. But there was still astretch of open beach, where she feared she would be discovered. Whenshe came to the shelter of the last tree she stopped and peeredcautiously up and down the line of the shore. As far as she could seethe beach was empty. And, surely enough, the tide was coming in. Tinywaves touched the prow of the "Water Witch. " It was true the water wasnot yet deep enough to float their boat, but in less than an hour theymight be able to row away from danger with their new friend. 

There was but one thing to do. She must return to Phyllis and Mollie, and they must make up their minds to remain in their hiding place for alittle while longer. Madge hated to go back to the cave. She wouldhave liked to linger in the woods, hiding behind the trees until theywere able to leave the island. But she knew it would not be fair toPhyllis and Mollie to leave them any longer in suspense. They wouldthink something had happened to her unless she returned to them atonce. The knowledge that she had not been seen made her feel morecheerful. She was sure that she would yet outwit the brutal sailor, Mike Muldoon, and carry Mollie safe to the shelter of their houseboat, where Miss Jenny Ann, or perhaps Mrs. Curtis, would tell them how theycould continue to take care of the poor girl. 

Unfortunately, Madge's gown was of some soft, white material andaltogether too conspicuous. She could be easily seen for some distanceas she ran along the shore, and in her anxiety to return to her friendsas soon as possible she did not look about her as carefully as sheshould have done. Therefore she missed seeing the cruel face thatstared malignantly forth from the opening in the tent where Phil hadher first talk with Mollie. The man's whole body was carefullyconcealed, and as Madge flitted by the tent his head disappeared fromsight. 

The man in the tent had caught sight of Madge's white gown the momentshe stepped forth from the shelter of the woods. He had at onceunderstood the situation, but he did not stir until she started toreturn to the cave. He knew that Madge had come down to see if shecould get the boat off the beach and into the water. It was evidentthat the other girls must be hidden somewhere in the forest. There wasnothing to be gained by capturing Madge alone; he must wait until shewent back to her friends, then he could find out where Mollie wasconcealed. 

The boat on the shore and the disappearance of the two girls who hadvisited him that morning told the whole story. Why had the two youngwomen concealed themselves unless they meant to guard the fugitiveMollie?

When Madge started back through the woods the man followed her at asafe distance. He did not wish her to know that he was following her, for fear she would lead him off the trail, but he kept near enough toknow exactly where she was going. 

She arrived, as she believed undiscovered, at their hiding place in thewoods. 

Phyllis and Mollie heard her light footfalls and gave a united sigh ofrelief. Their friend had escaped discovery. So far all was well!

Madge leaned over the opening of the cave, to reassure her friendsbefore she crawled into it again. 

"It's all right!" she cried softly. "I saw no one, heard nothing. Wecan get away, without any trouble, in another hour. "

She crouched down to slip into the place of concealment. At the sameinstant the three girls heard a noise. It was unmistakably the hurriedtramp of heavy feet! Mike Muldoon burst through the thicket of trees, his face blazing with heat and anger. 

CHAPTER XVIII

ON A STRANGE SHORE

Madge had just time enough to leap to her feet. She would not allowtheir determined enemy to catch her while in the act of hiding. 

"Keep still, " she whispered quickly to Phyllis and Mollie. Then sheturned, with flashing eyes, to the approaching figure of Captain MikeMuldoon. 

"What do you want?" she demanded imperiously, stamping her foot. "Whyhave you followed me through the woods?"

For a moment the man was speechless. It had not dawned on him thatMadge would turn upon him. He had expected her to burst into tears andexhibit signs of fear. 

"I want my daughter, and I want her quick, young woman, " he answeredgruffly. "When I find her I will settle with you. " He pushed pastMadge and dragged the unfortunate Mollie from her place of shelter. Phil sprang out after her. Her black eyes were flashing with anger anddisappointment. She fastened a firm grip on Mollie's arm. If MikeMuldoon jerked or shook his daughter, he would jerk and shake PhyllisAlden, too, for nothing would induce her to let go her hold on Mollie. 

"Let me go, " whispered Mollie gently, looking affectionately into thefaces of her new friends. "I don't want you to be in trouble for mysake. I ran away. It was no fault of yours. " Mollie appeared to bequite rational. She seemed to appreciate the girls' loyalty to her. 

"Give up my daughter and get back to where you came from, and I willlet you off this time, " roared Mike savagely. He did not think it wiseto deal roughly with the girls. Their friends would surely come tolook for them and hold him responsible for their disappearance. 

"We won't go a step unless you will let Mollie go with us, " returnedPhil wrathfully. "You shan't make her marry that horrible Bill. It isunlawful for you to force her to marry against her will. "

Mike moved stolidly ahead, gripping his daughter and pulling her alongwith him. Phyllis, who was still clutching Mollie's arm, followedafter, while Madge walked valiantly by Phil's side. 

"Leave go!" Mike shouted, raising his fist threateningly at Phyllis. Mollie cried out at the thought of possible hurt to her friend, butPhyllis did not falter. She gazed up at the burly sailor with a lookof such intense scorn, mingled with defiance, that he dropped his handto his side and said sneeringly: "Come back to my shanty boat, then. Iwill settle with you when we get there. "

Tightening his hold on his daughter's arm he strode off toward theshanty boat, dragging poor Mollie along at a cruel rate of speed. Phil, still clasping Mollie's other arm, kept pace with her, whileMadge marched a little to the rear with the air of a grenadier. 

Mollie's beautiful white face was set in lines of despair, but hercompanions felt nothing save righteous indignation against the brutalman they were forced either to follow or else leave Mollie to her fate. 

On the deck of the wretched shanty boat, this time, a man and a womanwere waiting with burning impatience. The man was Bill and the womanwas Mike Muldoon's wife. A group of fisher folk stood near, evidentlyanxious to know what was going to happen. It was late in theafternoon, and they had returned from the day's work on the water. 

Madge broke away from her own party to run toward these men and women. There were about half a dozen in number. "Won't you help us?" shecried excitedly. "Captain Mike is trying to force his daughter tomarry that dreadful Bill. He has beaten her cruelly because sherefuses to do it. My friend and I tried to get Mollie away from him, but he found us and forced her to come back here. "

"Don't hurt the young ladies, Mike, " remonstrated one of the fishermen, with a satirical grin in their direction, "it wouldn't be goodbusiness. " Then he turned to Madge and said gruffly: "It ain't any ofour lookout what Mike does with his daughter. She's foolish, anyhow. Can't see why Bill wants to marry her. "

Muldoon had jerked Mollie from Phil's restraining grasp and flung heraboard the shanty boat. The woman pushed the girl inside the cabin andclosed the door. Then she stood waiting to see what her husbandintended to do with the two girls. 

Captain Mike was puzzled. He stood frowning angrily at Mollie'sdefiant champions. They had refused to go back home. He had giventhem their opportunity. It was just as well they had not taken it, forsuddenly the man was seized with an idea. 

"Git into my rowboat, " he ordered Phil and Madge. "I am going to putyou aboard my sailboat and carry you home to your friends. You hadbetter take my offer. You'll only get into worse trouble if you stayaround here. How do you think you are going to take care ofMoll--knock me and Bill and my old woman down and run off with Moll?"

"Won't any one here help us?" asked Phil, turning to the grinning crowd. 

"You had better go home with Mike. It's the only thing for you to do, "advised a grizzled old fisherman. "Your hanging around here ain'tgoing to help Moll. "

Madge and Phil exchanged inquiring glances. For the time being theywere beaten. It was better to go home. Later on they would see whatcould be done for their friend. 

"We would rather go back in our own boat, " Phil announced, making alast resistance. Madge, who was already in Mike's skiff, beckoned toPhil to join her. It was too undignified and hopeless for them toargue longer with these coarse, rough men. Phyllis followed her chumreluctantly. She hung back as long as she could, staring hard at theshanty boat. But there was no sight nor sound of Mollie. 

Even after they were aboard Captain Mike's sailing craft Phil's eyesstrained toward the receding shore. When it was no longer to be seenshe sat with her hands folded, gazing into her lap. She was stillthinking and planning what she could do to rescue Mollie. Madge satwith closed eyes; she was too weary to speak. 

The sailor's boat had left the island far behind and was movingswiftly. It was after sunset, and the sun had just thrown itself, likethe golden ball in the fairy tale, into the depth of the clear water. The girls were looking anxiously toward the direction of their boat, and wondering if their friends were worrying over their late return. 

The houseboat lay a little to the southwest of Fisherman's Island, andso far they had not been able to catch sight of it. It was growing sodark that it was impossible to see the shore very clearly on eitherside of the bay. It was Madge's sharp eyes that first made thediscovery that what she could see of the shore was unfamiliar. CaptainMike was not taking them to their houseboat. He was sailing in exactlythe opposite direction. Madge glanced quickly at Phyllis, who was yethappily unconscious of their plight, then, turning to Muldoon, she saidsharply: "You are sailing the wrong way to bring us to our houseboat. The boat lies southwest of the island and you are taking us due north. Turn about and take us to our boat instantly. "

"I am taking you to where I am going to land you, all right, " thesailor replied gruffly. "You have got to learn that you can't comefoolin' in my business without getting yourselves into trouble. I'mgoin' to learn you. "

"You had better do as we ask you to do or you may regret it, " put inPhyllis. 

The sailor appeared not to have heard her threat. 

"Don't speak to him, Phil. He isn't worth wasting words over. "

The sailboat was evidently making for the land. The long line of apier was faintly visible. A few lights shone along a strange shore. 

It was plain that Captain Mike meant to land at this pier. The girlsdid not know why he meant to take them there, but they were too proudto ask him his reason. 

Mike drew his boat close along the flight of steps that led to the topof the pier. 

"Jump off, quick!" he called sharply. 

It was night. Neither Madge nor Phyllis had the faintest idea of thehour. Neither one of them knew in what place they were being castashore, nor had they a cent of money between them. But anything wasbetter than to remain longer on the sailboat. 

With a defiant glance at the scowling man Madge climbed out on thesteps of the pier. She gave her hand to Phyllis, who leaped after her. 

Captain Mike watched them walk up the steps to the top of the pier. Then, turning his boat about, he sailed away, leaving the two girls tothe darkness of an unknown shore. 

CHAPTER XIX

FINDING A WAY TO HELP MOLLIE

Girls do not keep silent long, no matter how grave the situation. Thetwo castaways were no exception. 

Madge shook her clenched fist after the retreating mast of the sailboat. "You horrid, horrid old man!" she cried. "We won't give uptrying to save poor Mollie, no matter what you do to us. Come on, Phil, " she said, taking Phyllis by the hand, "let us go up to the shoreand ask some one where we are. I suppose nobody will believe ourstory, because it seems so improbable, but perhaps some kind soul willgive us a drink of water, even if we do look perfectly disreputable. "

Phyllis giggled softly in spite of their plight. Madge had lost herhat. Her curls had long since come loose from the knot in which shewore them, and her gown was sadly wrinkled. 

Madge was in no mood for laughter. "You needn't make fun of me, Phyllis Alden, " she said reproachfully. "You are just as tattered andtorn as I. We do look like a couple of beggars. Your hair is notdown, but your collar is crumpled and your dress is almost as soiled asmine. "

"I look much worse than you do, Madge, I am sure of it, " conceded Philcheerfully. "You see, I am not pretty to begin with. " To this speechMadge would not deign to reply. Phyllis laughed good-humoredly. "Loyal little Madge, you won't acknowledge my lack of fatal beauty. "Then in a graver tone she added, "What do you think we had better do, Madge?"

"Find out where we are and how far away the 'Merry Maid' is, " returnedMadge decisively. "We must reach there to-night, Phil. Miss Jenny Annand the girls will believe something dreadful has happened to us. "

The chums had walked to the end of the pier. Between them and thenearest house lay a stretch of treacherous marsh. They pausedirresolutely, staring at the marsh with anxious eyes. "I am afraid weshall get lost in the marsh if we try to find our way through it on adark night like this, " faltered Phyllis. 

Madge shook her head determinedly. "We must try to pass through it. Idon't like the looks of it any better than you do, but we can't stayhere all night, that is certain. Come on. Here goes. "

Phyllis obediently followed her companion into the marsh, and thenbegan a never-to-be-forgotten walk. With each step they took the saltwater oozed up from the ground and covered their shoes. Madge felt herway carefully. She was obliged to put one foot cautiously forth to seeif the earth ahead were firm enough to bear the weight of her body. Onshe went, with Phyllis close behind her. In spite of the difficultythe girls were plainly making headway. "Hurrah!" called Madge, "we arealmost out of this quagmire. There is dry land ahead!" With one longleap she made the solid ground which stretched just ahead of her. Phyllis was not so fortunate. She lunged blindly after Madge, struckan unusually bad part of the marsh and sank knee deep in the soft mud. With a terrified cry she began struggling to free herself, but theharder she struggled the deeper she became imbedded in the marsh. 

The moon was just coming up. Madge could faintly see what had happenedto her friend. She ran toward Phyllis, but the latter cried outwarningly: "Go back. If you try to help me, you'll only sink into thismarsh with me. "

Madge hesitated only a minute. "Don't move, Phil, if you can possiblyhelp it, " she cried. "But in a few minutes from now call out, so thatI can tell where you are. Good-bye for a little while; I am going forhelp. " Madge never knew how she covered the space that lay between herand the nearest house. This house had a low stone wall around it, andstood on top of a steep hill that sloped down to this wall. Madgescrambled over the wall and climbed the hill, sometimes on her feet, but as often on her hands and knees. There was a light in a window. She staggered to it and rapped on the window pane. A moment later aman appeared in a doorway at the right of the window. 

"Who's there?" he called out sharply. "What do you mean by knocking onmy window? Answer me at once!"

Madge stumbled over to him. "Oh, won't you please come with me?" shesaid. "My friend Phyllis is stuck fast in the marsh. I must have helpto get her out. "

Without a word the man disappeared into the house. For one dreadfulinstant, Madge thought he did not intend to help her; she thought hemust believe that she was an impostor and was making up her story. Thenext minute the man returned, wearing a pair of high rubber hoots andcarrying a dark lantern and a heavy rope. 

"Don't be frightened, " he said kindly to her as she walked wearilyafter him. "People often lose their way in this marsh after dark. We'll soon find your friend. "

But to himself Judge Arthur Hilliard asked the question: "What in theworld are two young girls doing alone on this dangerous shore at suchan hour of the night?"

It was well that Phyllis remembered Madge's order, else they might havehad some trouble in locating her. As soon as Phyllis saw the friendlylight from the oncoming lantern she called at the top of her lungs:"Here I am! Here I am!"

"Keep perfectly still!" Judge Hilliard commanded. "I'll have you outin a short time. " He waded into the marsh, his high boots protectinghim from the black ooze. When he was about five yards from Phil heflung her the rope. "Now work your way along toward us, " he directed. Phyllis obeyed his command and in an incredibly short time was safe ondry land, her shoes heavy with mud. 

"It is bad enough to be lost, " declared Phil as she thanked thestranger, "but it is worse to be not only lost, but stuck in the mud aswell. "

"You were in a most unpleasant, though I can hardly say a dangerousplight, " returned the stranger. "Can I be of further service to you?"

"Would you--could you tell us where we can get a drink of water?" askedMadge. "We are so tired and thirsty. "

"My name is Arthur Hilliard, " returned the man. "If you will come tomy house, my mother will be glad to offer you refreshment. "

"Thank you, " bowed Madge sedately. "We will go with you. "

Mrs. Hilliard, a stout, comfortable looking old lady, received thewanderers with true Southern hospitality. Without waiting to heartheir story, she insisted that they change their bedraggled clothingfor two comfortable looking dressing gowns which she laid out for them, and by the time they had washed their faces and hands and dressed theirhair they found a hot supper ready for them in the dining room. 

"We are so sorry to have troubled you, " declared Madge apologetically, as Mr. Hilliard entered the dining room when they were finishing theirmeal. "Now we must tell you who we are and how we came to befloundering in the marsh so late in the evening. "

Beginning with their visit to the island that morning Madge related allthat had transpired during that long day of adventures. Judge Hilliardshook his head disapprovingly as the tale continued, but listened withgrave interest to the part of the story relating to Mollie, thesailor's daughter. 

"This girl of whom you speak is like the girl in the fairy story, whohas a cruel step-mother and an ogre of a father, " he commented when thestory had ended. 

"Of course she is, " answered Madge; "only our girl is not in a fairystory, she is real. I can't believe that that dreadful Mike Muldoon isher father, and I know there must be some way to take her from him andmake her happy. "

"We are going to save her yet, " declared Phyllis stoutly. "I don't seejust how we are to manage it, but to-morrow we are going to try again. How far are we from Fisherman's Island?"

"About thirty miles, " Judge Hilliard replied. "I have telephoned tothe nearest town to let your chaperon know you are safe. The messagewill be taken over to your houseboat tonight, and I will take you homein the morning. My mother insists that you remain here tonight. Shewill join us in the library in a few minutes. "

"Thank you again, " said Madge gratefully. "It was very thoughtful inyou to send a message to our friends. In the morning we wish to gofirst to the Belleview Hotel. We wish to see a friend of ours who isstaying there. Her name is Mrs. Curtis. "

"Mrs. Curtis is an old friend of mine, " said Judge Hilliard in pleasedsurprise. "I have known her ever since I was a little boy. Now I havesomething to say to you that may interest you. I told you I was ajudge. It is my business to look into people's legal difficulties. This trouble which concerns your friend looks to me as though it mighthave a legal side to it. We are in the State of Maryland. Fisherman'sIsland is in my jurisdiction. Suppose I issue an injunction forbiddingthe marriage between Mollie and the sailor, and take you up to theisland in the morning to see it served. I have a steam yacht, and Ithink I shall take along two court officers or policemen, who willterrify your dreadful Captain Mike. At any rate, I'll see justice donehis afflicted daughter, if I have to take the law in my own hands. "

Madge clapped her hands joyously. Tears stood in Phil's dark eyes. "Oh, how splendid!" she breathed. 

At this juncture Mrs. Hilliard entered the library, and after a littlefurther talk the two girls announced themselves as being quite ready toretire. 

"Be ready at seven o'clock, " Judge Hilliard reminded them, as he badehis guests good night. "We shall reach Captain Mike's shanty boatbefore he has time to proceed with the marriage. They won't expect youat your houseboat until after breakfast, and I hope to have three girlsto deliver aboard, instead of two. "

Phyllis and Madge dropped asleep that night the instant their headstouched their pillows. They had asked to share the same room, and asthey had sleepily undressed, they congratulated each other on the factthat Mike Muldoon's cowardly act had resulted in nothing but good tothem. It looked as though it might even prove a boomerang to him. 

By seven o'clock the next morning the girls had breakfasted and saidgood-bye to Mrs. Hilliard, after promising to visit her at some futuretime. 

"Judge Hilliard, " announced Madge, as the yacht "Greyhound" steamed outfrom the pier, "we forgot to tell you last night that we think Mollieis old enough to come away from her father if she wishes. She doesn'tknow how old she is. That is one of the queer things about Mollie. She seems quite sensible until you ask her to recall something, andthen she becomes confused. Still, I am sure she is several years olderthan either Phil or I. "

The shanty boat colony on the east side of Fisherman's Island had alsorisen early on this warm morning in July. Bill crossed over to themainland in his sailboat to bring a Justice of the Peace back with himto marry him to Mollie. Captain Mike was determined to have his waywith his daughter. Once she was married to Bill, her new friends wouldfind it difficult to get her away from him. 

Since Mollie's return to the shanty boat she had made no furtheroutcry. She did not seem to know what was going on. The vacant, hopeless look had come over her face. The fright and ill treatment ofthe day before had completely subdued her. She seemed to haveforgotten everything. 

All night long she had lain awake in her miserable berth in the dirtyshanty boat. She lay still, with her eyes closed, until the breathingof her family told her they were fast asleep. Then she crept out onthe deck of the boat. She sat for hours without moving, her wonderfulblue eyes, with the empty look in them, staring out over the silentwaters. She was waiting, wistful and patient, for something to come tosave her. When the dawn broke, and a rosy light bathed the bay and thesky, she rose, went quietly into the cabin and lay down in her berthagain. She stayed there while the family ate their breakfast. Shemade no resistance when her step-mother came toward her, grinningmaliciously, and bearing a coarse white cotton dress, which she called"Moll's wedding gown. "

Mollie let the woman put the dress on her. She even combed her ownsun-colored hair; and, for the first time in her life, she knotted iton her head, instead of letting it stream in ragged, unkempt ends overher shoulders. A loose lock of hair over Mollie's low forehead coveredthe ugly scar that was her one disfigurement. She was so startlinglylovely that her stupid step-mother stared at her in a kind ofbewildered amazement. Mollie was pale and worn, and painfully thin, yet nothing could spoil the wonderful color of her hair and eyes, nortake away the peculiar grace of her figure. Her expression was dulland listless. Even so Mollie looked like a lily transplanted to somefield of dank weeds, but growing tall and sweet amid their ugliness. 

Mike looked at his daughter curiously when her step-mother dragged herout before him. Brutal as he was, a change passed over his face. Heglanced over the water to see if Bill's boat were approaching. "Iain't never understood how things has turned out, " he muttered tohimself. "If Mollie wasn't foolish, I wouldn't let Bill have her. Sheis a pretty thing, and she looks like a lady. That's what makes it soall-fired queer. "

Mollie sank down on the bench that ran around the deck of the shantyboat. She dropped her head in her hands. What she was thinking, orwhether she was thinking at all, no one could know or tell. She hearda boat coming through the water, then a cry from her father. If shebelieved the hour had arrived for her marriage, she gave no sign. Shedid not raise her head when Mike Muldoon cried out savagely. 

Captain Mike went ashore. He stood with his heavy arms folded, smokingand scowling. 

Judge Hilliard stepped up to Captain Mike. Two police officersaccompanied him. Madge and Phil were directly behind their new friend. They did not like to call to Mollie, but they wished she would look upat them. 

"I have an injunction forbidding the marriage of your daughter, MollieMuldoon, to a fisherman named Bill, " Judge Hilliard's peremptory voicerang out. "You are forcing your daughter into this marriage againsther will. "

"I ain't forcing Moll, " denied Captain Mike, glaring at Phil and Madge. He was driven into a corner, and he knew nothing else to say. 

"I would like to ask the girl what she desires, " the judge announced. 

"Moll, " called Mike. 

For the first time Mollie lifted her head. She left the boat and cameslowly toward the little party. 

Judge Hilliard stared, and for a moment he forgot to speak to her. Madge and Phil had assured him that their protégé was beautiful, but hehad expected to behold the simple beauty of a country girl; this youngwoman was exquisitely lovely. 

Madge and Phil trembled with excitement. Suppose Mollie should notunderstand the Judge's question and make the wrong answer? Suppose thepoor girl had been bullied into submission? Suppose she should noteven recall the struggle of yesterday? She forgot so much--would sheforget this?

"Do you desire to marry this 'Bill'?" Judge Hilliard queried, lookingwith puzzled wonder into Mollie's lovely, expressionless face. 

Mollie shook her head gently. Madge and Phil held their breath. 

"I will not marry him, " Mollie answered simply. "Nothing could make medo so. "

"Then you will come home to the houseboat with us, Mollie, " Madge andPhil pleaded together, taking hold of the girl's hands to lead her away. 

"I am sorry, " interposed Judge Hilliard, speaking to the girls, "but wecan't take her away at once. We must observe the law. Muldoon, "continued the Judge as he took a document out of his pocket and handedit to the sailor, "of course you know that you can not force this girlto marry against her will whether she is of age or not, but, aside fromthat, here is an order of court directing you to show cause why thegirl should not be taken from you upon the ground of cruelty andneglect. The case will be heard in the court at the county seat ofAnne Arundel County five days hence, the 30th of the month. You will, of course, be expected to prove that the girl is your daughter. Thisorder also contains an injunction forbidding you to take the girl outof this jurisdiction within that time. These officers will remain hereto see that the order of the court is carried out. If you make anyattempt to remove the girl from this vicinity, you will be arrested atonce. "

"And now, ladies, " said Judge Hilliard, turning to the girls, "we willgo aboard the 'Greyhound'. "

"I say, Judge, " broke in Muldoon, starting hurriedly after JudgeHilliard, "I don't want to get mixed up in the law. I'll tell yousomething if you won't be too hard on me. Moll isn't my daughter! Ipicked her up almost drowned on a beach on the coast of Florida. Myfirst old woman took a liking for the kid, so we just kept her. Wedidn't intend her any harm. That was ten or twelve years ago. "

Judge Hilliard did not appear to be surprised; in fact, he had expectedsome such statement. 

"Your confession, " said he, speaking to Muldoon, "is all we need toenable us to take this girl away. Under the circumstances, it will notbe necessary to serve this paper, " he continued, taking the order ofcourt away from Muldoon. "We shall take the girl with us now. Muldoon, see to it that you don't get into any other trouble. You aregetting off easily. Your carrying off these two young ladies underfalse pretence and depositing them against their will in an unknownplace, as you did last night, is very much like abduction, andabduction is a penitentiary offence. "

There being nothing left to do, Judge Hilliard and his party, nowincluding the rescued Mollie, went aboard the "Greyhound" and steamedaway toward the houseboat. 

CHAPTER XX

MADGE'S OPPORTUNITY

Mollie slipped into her place as a member of the little houseboatfamily as quietly as though she had always been a part of it. She wasshy and gentle, and rarely talked. She was more like a timid childthan a woman. She liked to cook, to wash the dishes, to do the thingsto which she was accustomed, and to be left alone. At first thehouseboat girls tried to interest her in their amusements, but MissJenny Ann persuaded them that it was wiser to let Mollie becomeaccustomed to the change in her life in any way she could. Mollienever spoke of the past, and she seemed worried if any one of the girlsquestioned her about it. They did not even know whether she feared thereturn of Captain Mike or Bill. The girls hoped that Mollie's lack ofmemory had made her quickly forget her unhappy life. 

One thing haunted Mollie: it was her fear of strangers. If a visitorcame aboard the houseboat the young girl would disappear and hide inthe cabin until there was no danger of her being noticed. Jack Bollingand Tom Curtis came calling nearly every day, but neither one of themhad seen anything of Mollie, except her flying skirts as she ran awayto hide from them. They were vaguely aware of her unusual beauty, butneither of them knew what she actually looked like. 

Madge was particularly sorry that Mollie would not see Mrs. Curtis. The houseboat holiday could only last a short time longer. Mr. AndMrs. Butler had written that they expected to return from California inabout ten days, and must have Madge and Eleanor back at "Forest House. "Lillian's and Phil's parents were also clamoring for their girls tospend a part of their summer vacation at home. So the question mustsoon arise: What could be done with Mollie when the crew of the "MerryMaid" disbanded? Madge felt they needed their friend's advice. Butneither Mrs. Curtis nor Miss Jenny Ann thought it best to force Mollieto see people until she became more used to the atmosphere of affectionabout her, and had learned that no one meant to harm or ill treat her. Once Mrs. Curtis caught a brief glimpse of Mollie, standing framed inthe cabin doorway. The girl had given a frightened stare at her, andthen had fled inside her room. She could not be coaxed out again. Mrs. Curtis was curious. The one quick look at Mollie seemed oddly torecall some friend of her youth. It was nothing to think of seriously. She would know better when she saw the girl another time. 

Daily Mrs. Curtis seemed to grow more and more fond of Madge. If Madgefailed to come to see her every day or so, she would send Tom over as amessenger to bring her little friend back with him to luncheon or todinner. She and the little captain used to have long, confidentialtalks together, and Mrs. Curtis seemed never to weary of the younggirl's romantic fancies. She used to make Madge tell her of her familyand what she knew of her dead father and mother. At times Madgewondered idly why Mrs. Curtis was interested in them, and every now andthen she thought Tom's mother wished to ask her an important question. But Mrs. Curtis always put off the inquiry until another time. 

Toward the close of their stay on the "Merry Maid" the girls wereinvited to a six o'clock dinner at the Belleview, given in their honorby Mrs. Curtis and Tom. On the day of the dinner Tom was sent to the"Merry Maid" to ask Madge to come to his mother an hour earlier thanthe others were expected. Miss Jenny Ann had elected to stay at homewith Mollie. Nothing would induce Mollie to attend the party, and MissJenny Ann would not allow any one of the girls to remain on thehouseboat with her. 

Tom and Madge went up to the hotel on the street car, since it wasimpossible for Tom to row with his lame arm. They found Mrs. Curtis ona little balcony that opened off her private sitting-room. The piazzaoverlooked the waters of the small bay. It was a wonderful summerafternoon; white clouds were rioting everywhere in the clear, blue sky;the water was astir with white-masted boats, dipping their sails towardthe waves like the flapping wings of sea gulls. 

Madge was looking her prettiest. She had on her best white frock, andas a mark of her appreciation of Mrs. Curtis wore the string of pearlsabout her throat. Without making any noise, she crept out on thebalcony and kissed Mrs. Curtis lightly on the forehead. Then shedropped into a low, cushioned chair near her friend's side. 

"Here I am, dressed for the dinner, " she announced happily. "How doyou like me? Tom said you wanted me to come before the other girls, and that this was perhaps our farewell dinner with you, for you mightbe going away in a few days. Dear me, I am sorry. Are you going toOld Point Comfort for the rest of the summer, or to your own summerplace?"

Mrs. Curtis shook her head. "I don't know, Madge, just where I shallgo, " she answered, pushing Madge's curls to one side of her whiteforehead. It was the way that Mrs. Curtis liked best to have Madgewear her hair. "But, wherever we go, can't you go with us?" sheconcluded. 

Madge sighed. "I'd love to go with you, " she sighed, "but I can't. You see, Nellie and I have to go back to 'Forest House, ' to spend therest of our holiday with Uncle and Aunt. They would be dreadfully hurtif I suggested making a visit to you, instead of coming home to them. "

"Then I wonder if your uncle and aunt would allow me to make them ashort visit?" questioned Mrs. Curtis gravely. 

Madge opened her blue eyes. Why in the world should Mrs. Curtis wishto go to "Forest House"? But she answered her friend promptly. "Ofcourse Uncle and Aunt would be most happy to have you, and Nellie and Iwould be perfectly delighted. "

"Why do you think I am anxious to come, Madge?"

Madge smiled in her sauciest fashion. "To see me, of course, " shereplied. "Doesn't that sound conceited?"

But Mrs. Curtis was not smiling. She was looking at Madge so seriouslythat the young girl's merry face sobered. 

"I am not coming merely to see you, dear. I am coming to ask if I maytake you away with me for always. Haven't you guessed, that I want youto come to live with me, to be my daughter? Tom and I are lonely. Myhusband is dead, and I have no other child now, except Tom. I can'ttell you how much I want a daughter. I have plenty of money, dear--more than I know what to do with. So we could have wonderfultimes together, and do anything we chose to do. Only I would wish youwith me all the time. I couldn't let you wander off with the girls orgo to boarding school. Tom has to be away so much. You haven't anyown father and mother, and you told me that you were poor and wouldhave to earn your living some day. So I thought perhaps your uncle andaunt would give you up to me. But, first, I wish to know whether myplan pleases you. "

[Illustration: "I wish you to come and live with me, Madge. "]

Mrs. Curtis stopped talking to gaze earnestly at Madge. The girl hadturned so white that her friend was startled. She did not realize whata surprise her suggestion had been to the little captain. She believedthat Madge must have partly guessed her intention. Miss Jenny Ann andPhil had understood that some day Mrs. Curtis might make just thisproposal to Madge Morton. But to Madge it was a complete surprise. She had never for an instant dreamed of such a thing. 

In a moment all the young girl's familiar world fell broken at herfeet--the old childhood home in the country, her happy friendships atschool. She saw a new world, like a vision in a fairy tale. It was awonderful world, that contained all the marvels of which she haddreamed--wealth, position, admiration. Yet it was a homesick world, for it was peopled with few of the friends whom Madge loved, with noneof the familiar places. In spite of the girl's fancies, the actualevery-day life of poverty and hope was too dear to be laid lightlyaside. 

Mrs. Curtis still waited for Madge to speak. 

"Uncle and Aunt----" she faltered. "They--would miss me----"

"Yes, I know, " returned Mrs. Curtis sympathetically. "Of course, yourown people will find it hard to give you up just at first, and Eleanorwill miss you. But I do not believe your uncle and aunt will stand inyour way if you really wish to come to me. "

Mrs. Curtis concluded in the tone of a woman accustomed to having herown way. She was puzzled at Madge's indecision. 

"Are you sure you care for me enough to wish me to live with you, Mrs. Curtis?" asked Madge quietly. "You see, you know only the nicest partof me, but I have a miserable temper. Nellie and my friends are usedto me. Suppose you should take me away to live with you, and then growtired of me?" The girl's clear eyes questioned her new friend gravely. 

Mrs. Curtis smiled and shook her head. "No; I shouldn't grow tired ofyou. People may sometimes grow vexed with you, but they are not goingto become tired of you. Now sit quite still. I want you not to speak, but to think very hard for three minutes and then to tell me whetheryou wish to be my adopted daughter. I do not wish to trouble youruncle and aunt unless you feel sure of yourself. "

Mrs. Curtis took out her watch and laid it in her lap. 

She did not look at the watch; she kept her gaze on Madge's face. 

The little captain did not speak. She knew her eyes were filled withtears. She was so young, and it was hard to decide her whole futurelife in the space of three minutes. She realized that if Mrs. Curtisadopted her, she would have to give up her gay, independent existenceamong her old friends, the joy of doing for herself and of learning toovercome obstacles. Then, on the other hand, Mrs. Curtis loved her andshe would give her everything in the world that a young girl coulddesire. 

"Mrs. Curtis, " declared Madge, when the three minutes had gone by, "Ican't--I can't decide what you ask me now. Please don't think I do notlove you. It is too wonderful for you and Tom to wish me to come tolive with you. But may I have a few days to think things over before Igive you my answer? The thought of leaving Aunt Sue and Uncle Williamand Nellie does--does----" Madge could not go on. 

"Never mind, dear, " soothed Mrs. Curtis. "It was not fair in me totake you unawares, and then expect you to make up your mind so soon. Suppose I give you three days, instead of three minutes, to thinkthings over. Even then, Madge, we can't be sure that your uncle andaunt will be willing to let you be my girl instead of theirs. "

CHAPTER XXI

MOLLIE'S BRAVE FIGHT

Mollie was sitting alone on the deck of the houseboat. She and MissJenny had just finished an early tea. The girls were still away attheir dinner, and Miss Jenny Ann had gone up to the nearest farmhouseto get some eggs for breakfast. It was the first time Mollie had everbeen left by herself on the houseboat. But Miss Jenny Ann did notthink there was any possible danger. Neither Captain Mike nor Bill hadmade the slightest attempt to get possession of Mollie. Nor did MissJones intend to be out of call for more than fifteen minutes. 

Mollie had begun to lose the vague dread that had haunted her all herlife. The peaceful hours of the past ten days seemed more real to herthan the dreary, ugly years of her childhood. She began faintly torealize what life could mean when one was not afraid. 

Mollie's hands, a little roughened from hard work, were foldedpeacefully in her lap. Her beautiful head, with its crown ofsun-colored hair, was resting against the cushion of the big steamerchair. She was on the small upper deck, facing the bow of the boat. Astrolling breeze had blown the hair back from her forehead, and theugly scar was visible. But, now that Mollie's head no longer achedfrom the hard work she had been forced to endure, the throbbing and theold pain in this scar had almost gone. The girl was slowly findingherself. So far she had accepted her new life without a question, taking what was done for her like a contented child. Now she satlooking up the bay for the return of her friends. They would not be athome for several hours, but time meant very little to Mollie, and shehad been lonely since they had gone away. 

A skiff came down the bay with a single figure seated in it. 

Mollie heard the faint splashing of the oars, but since water soundshad been familiar to her all her life she did not even turn her head tosee if any one were coming near to the houseboat. 

She knew the girls were due from the other direction. 

The boat moved slowly in toward the shore. It made almost no sound, now that it drew nearer the land. With a final dip of the oars and astrong forward movement the small boat glided well within the shadow ofthe stern of the houseboat. There it stopped. 

Mollie did not see nor hear it. For some moments the boat restedquietly in the shallow water, moving only with the faint movement ofthe evening tide. The solitary boatman sat without stirring. Heleaned forward, listening intently for any sounds of life aboard thehouseboat. He had espied the deserted figure on the upper deck. 

In almost complete silence the man fastened his boat to the houseboatand in his stocking feet clambered up the side of "The Merry Maid" andcame aboard. He slipped around the deck, crouching on his hands andknees. He listened at the doors of each room in the cabin. No one wasabout except the girl in the steamer chair. The man moved like a cat, with almost complete noiselessness. He made no effort to onto thedeserted cabin. Nor did he, at first, make any movement that showedthe least interest in Mollie. 

At the farther end of the deck, outside the kitchen, the prowler made adiscovery which caused him great satisfaction. He smiled. He pickedit up and shook it furtively. The treasure was a big tin can, nearlyfull of kerosene. 

Still on his hands and knees, the man tilted the can until the oil ranin a little stream down the deck and soaked well into the wood. Hethen put his hand in his pocket to look for something. 

Mollie did not hear him. At least, her ears were not conscious thatthey caught a distinct sound. Finally she became conscious of thepresence of some one near her. She got quickly up out of her chair andleaned over the railing of the top deck. 

At this moment the man, with his back toward her, struck a match. Mollie beheld the crouching figure. She could not tell who the manwas. Was it Bill or her father come to steal her away? The old, dreadful fear swept over her, with enough of memory to make her realizewhat her capture would mean. The girl's first instinct was to hide. She did not realize how poor a refuge the houseboat offered her. Itseemed to her that, if she could only get into one of the cabinbedrooms and conceal herself in her berth, she might escape. PoorMollie had no better idea to aid her. She came running down theoutside steps and ran toward the cabin door. 

The man rose quickly. He did not move toward Mollie. Outside thecabin kitchen was a big box filled with chips and bits of kindling, used to light the kitchen stove. The man gathered up a handful ofthese pieces of wood and ran back to his old position. He glanced atMollie. But it was easy to see that she was trying to get away, not tohinder him in what he was doing. He picked up the oil can again. Thistime he poured the few remaining drops on a little pile of chips andlit another match. The tinder blazed up. The man fanned the tinyflames with the brim of a torn hat. The flare of light grew brighter;a great flame leapt up and then a snake-like curve of fire followed theoil-soaked wood. 

When the man did not move toward Mollie she stopped in the cabin door. She was afraid of him. She was not like other girls. Ever since shehad been able to know anything she had felt a curious, confused feelingin her head. She did not know who the man was on the deck of the boat. But she did know that he was trying to set their houseboat afire. 

Mollie paid no further attention to the man. She did not scream athim, nor try to stop what he was doing. She rushed forward and beganstamping on the pile of blazing sticks. 

The man did not attempt to prevent her. He was watching the increasinglength of flame spread over the deck. A second later he sprang up, ranacross the deck, slipped over the side of "The Merry Maid, " droppedinto his rowboat, and rowed swiftly out of sight. 

Mollie flew for the big bucket of water, which they always kept in acertain spot. She flung the water on the flames, but water will notquench the flames made from oil. The rail began to crackle, the sparksto fly. The "Merry Maid" was afire, with only one, feeble girl to saveit!

Mollie knew that there were steamer blankets in the bedrooms of thecabin. She often had one to cover her when she took her afternoonrest. Remember, Mollie had had little education, but she had beenbrought up to work and to do practical tasks. It was but the work of amoment to drag out two blankets and spread them over the flames. Thefire died down for a moment; then it crept through the fringe of therugs, and a choking smell of burning wool showed that the blankets alsowere beginning to burn. But the brave girl had no intention of givingup the fight. 

There were two other blankets left. Mollie started back to the cabinfor these, when to her terror she discovered that the skirt of hercotton dress was in names. She tried to beat it out with her hands, but it crept steadily up toward her head. She cried aloud, but shecould see no one coming to save her. The pain was more intense everymoment. She could not keep still. She ran toward the edge of thedeck. Before her the placid water lay cool and sweet. With a cry ofpain, Mollie threw herself over the side of the houseboat. She did notrealize how shallow the water was. She flung herself with all herforce. Her head struck against the bottom with a heavy thud. At leastthe water was cool; the fire no longer burned her. 

Miss Jones and Mr. Brown, who had joined Miss Jenny Ann on her way backfrom the farmhouse, heard Mollie's first cry of alarm. The artist hadbeen coming down to the houseboat to make an evening call. Twostrangers, a man and his wife, were strolling along the top of thesmall embankment. They also heard the call. The four of them starteddown the hill almost at the same time. Before they reached thehouseboat, the odor of burning wood was borne to their nostrils. MissJenny Ann cried out for Mollie, but Mollie did not answer. Mr. Brownand the two strangers began beating out the fire on the boat. It hadnot spread far; the blankets had covered the flames and kept them fromincreasing. The overturned oil can gave the clue to the mystery. Mr. Brown dashed into the kitchen for a bag of salt, because salt morequickly puts out the flames from burning oil. 

Miss Jenny Ann had, so far, been unable to find Mollie. Now she lookedover the side of the boat, and Mollie's body could be plainly seenlying in the shallow water. Mr. Brown and the stranger togetherbrought the girl back to the houseboat. She was insensible. In herplunge into the water she had struck her head with great force againstthe bottom of the bay. She was stunned by the shock, and when shereturned to consciousness the pain from the burn and the blow made herdelirious. As she alone could tell what had transpired in that briefhour, the cause of the fire remained a mystery. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE EVIL GENIUS

"I think I had better go up to the hotel to prepare the girls for whathas happened, " suggested Mr. Brown a short time afterward. 

Miss Jenny Ann seemed surprised at the thought of his leaving her alonewith Mollie, and said so. 

"Yes; I think I had better go at once, " he announced decisively. "Thedoctor will be here in a few minutes. I can do nothing for you or forMollie, but I can save the girls from the shock of returning to findtheir houseboat damaged and their friend so ill. "

Miss Jenny Ann agreed quietly. If Mr. Brown thought it best to go, itdid not really matter. "Ask the girls to come home as soon as theycan, " she added. "Phil is so clever in cases of illness. "

"I'll borrow the 'Water Witch. ' I think I can get up to the Belleviewquicker if I go by water than if I wait for the street car to take methere. The girls will bring the boat home with them. "

Mr. Brown disappeared from the deck of the boat a few moments later. He climbed into the "Water Witch" and rowed very swiftly up the bay. 

Miss Jones had taken it for granted that their houseboat had caughtfire by accident. She had not had time to give much thought to thematter. But Mr. Brown had other views. He remembered the boy who hadattempted the robbery, and he had other reasons for his suspicions. Acan of oil might very easily have turned over on the deck, but wasthere any reason to suppose that a pile of matches would be left lyingat one side of the can? The young artist meant to make a thoroughsearch for the possible offender. He wished to get out on the water assoon as he could, because he believed the incendiary had escaped thatway. Mr. Brown and Miss Jenny Ann had been walking down the embankmentat the very time the trespasser must have made his escape. If he hadgone by land, one of them must have caught sight of him. 

Theodore Brown was an ex-member of a Yale boat crew. He made the"Water Witch" skim through the waters, and at the same time he kept asharp lookout for a small boat. There were a number of skiffs filledwith young girls and men. But Mr. Brown was looking for a boat withthe single figure of a boy in it. 

He went toward the hotel, believing that the boatman would feel moresecure if he were swallowed up in a crowd, than if he were seen in amore deserted part of the bay. Mr. Brown had almost reached the hotelpier before he came up to the character of skiff he desired to find. Then he was embarrassed how to accost the young man in it, as it waspossible for him to see only the oarsman's back. Mr. Brown. Came asclose up alongside the stranger's boat as he could. Still he could notsee the man's face. He leaned out of his own boat and called: "I wantto drift along here and smoke. Would you be kind enough to lend me amatch?"

The other oarsman apparently did not hear him. He rowed on faster. Again Mr. Brown caught up with him. He called, in an even morefriendly fashion, "Haven't you that match?"

The stranger fumbled a minute in his pocket. "Sorry to disoblige you, "he answered. "I haven't a match about me. "

Theodore Brown laughed. The two small boats were almost touching eachother. "Sorry to have troubled you, " continued Mr. Brown, leaning asfar over the side of his boat as he could. "After all, I find I havesome matches in my own pocket. You had better take a cigar to show youforgive me for annoying you. "

The artist struck a light and held it for a moment full in the otheroarsman's face. It was only a second; the light flickered and wentout. The man in the boat winced as the light shone on his face. "No, thank you; I don't smoke, " he answered politely. With that he shot hisskiff on ahead. 

Mr. Brown followed behind him. He saw the other man was about to landat a deserted beach a short distance to the left of the Belleview Hotelpier. Mr. Brown did not make for the same shore immediately. Hewaited until the man was on land and striding out of sight; then theartist jumped from his own boat and went after the other man. Not manyyards away was the side lawn of the hotel. It was a warm summer night, and a number of guests were strolling about under the trees. Mr. Brownput his hand on the arm of the fellow whom he had been following. 

The boy leaped forward in an effort to wrench himself away. At thismoment he recognized the artist and knew he had been overtaken. Mr. Brown kept a firm hold on his arm. 

"What do you want with me?" demanded the lad, trying to appear at hisease. "Aren't you the fellow who came alongside of me in the boat?"

"I am, " was the curt reply, "and I don't wish to ask a great favor ofyou. I simply wish you to come over to the hotel with me to see somefriends of mine. We would like to ask you a few questions. Of course, if you can answer them satisfactorily, I shall let you go with my bestapologies. I would advise you not to make any resistance here. Youwill attract the attention of the people on the lawn. "

Mrs. Curtis and her guests were rather surprised when a hotel boy cameup to her sitting room to say that Mr. Theodore Brown and some one elsewould like to speak to Mr. Tom Curtis for a few minutes, if that werepossible. 

Tom came back to his mother a little later, his eyes flashing. Herelated a part of Mr. Brown's story. 

"If you don't mind, Mother, I think we had better have the fellow uphere for the girls to see. I know he is the man who took the sailboatfrom Madge and me, and Mr. Brown says he is the fellow who attempted torob the houseboat; but whether he has set it afire and nearly been thedeath of Mollie, we have no way of finding out. He vows he has notbeen near the houseboat since the day he promised never to return. Ifwe cross-examine him up here, perhaps we can get at the truth. "

Eleanor had slipped out of the room to find her coat and hat as soon asshe learned of the accident to Mollie. The other young women weretrembling with sympathy and alarm, but they waited to see the boybrought upstairs. 

The girls were not long in agreeing to the identity of the prisoner asthe evil genius of their past experiences. But there was no way ofproving that he had actually set fire to the houseboat, for he stillabsolutely denied all knowledge of it. 

Eleanor came back to the sitting-room. "Aren't you ready to leave, girls?" she demanded. "Miss Jenny Ann and Mollie need us. "

Eleanor sniffed the air daintily. "What is that curious odor ofkerosene, Mrs. Curtis?" she inquired curiously. "Do you think any ofthe lamps could be leaking?"

"Good!" Mr. Brown ejaculated. "What a chump I am! I have beenconscious of that smell all this time and had not associated it withthe houseboat. "

Mr. Brown put his nose down to his prisoner's hands. Then he inhaledthe scent of his coat. Tom Curtis followed suit. The odor wasunmistakable. The lad was well smeared with oil. The circumstantialevidence was strong against the captured boy when Mr. Brown related thediscovery of the overturned can and the spread of the kerosene on thehouseboat deck. 

"I am awfully sorry to have made this scene, Mrs. Curtis, " apologizedthe young artist, "but I knew no other way for us to settle the matterat once. This young man has done too much mischief to our friends tobe allowed to go free again. But you need not think further of theexperience, I'll take the lad and give him up to the police to-night. Your son and I will be able to identify him. It will not be necessaryto draw you girls into the business. We can manage without you. "

Mrs. Curtis looked exceedingly uncomfortable. She had been bitterlyangry at the way the lad had served Tom and Madge, and at that time shewould have given a great deal to have had him properly punished. Sincethen he had added one evil deed to the other. But the boy, who wasbeing led away to prison, seemed so young, not much older than Tom. Hewas wild and reckless in his appearance, yet he had the aspect ofhaving been born of gentle people. 

The youth had not spoken since the discovery of the oil on his handsand clothes. Now, as he was being led from the sitting room, he turnedon his cross-questioners and shook with swift laughter. He threw backhis head, so that his long, dark hair uncovered his ears. His eyesgleamed. 

Madge, who was staring hard at the boy from her position on the farside of the room, gave an unexpected movement of surprise. She waitedfor the young prisoner to speak. 

"You needn't trouble your girls to appear against me, " he saidsavagely, "but you will have to introduce their chaperon in court, anda pretty thing it will be for a sister to appear as a witness againsther own brother!"

A frozen silence fell on the group of listeners. Phil shook her heademphatically. "You are not our Miss Jenny Ann's brother, " she retorteddecidedly. "It would be perfectly impossible for her to have a wickedbrother like you. "

Theodore Brown's face flushed and paled. He would have liked to dragthe lad out of the room without waiting another instant. Yet he fearedto make the scene even worse. He did not have the slightest faith inthe lad's statement; he was only fiercely angry at the boy's impudenceand wondered if the fellow even knew the name of the chaperon of the"Merry Maid. "

Lillian and Eleanor were flushed with indignation. Tom Curtis wasequally so. But Mrs. Curtis happened to catch a glimpse of Madge'sface. Her expression was a puzzle. She ran forward and touched Mr. Brown on the sleeve. "Wait a minute, Mr. Brown, " she pleaded. "Don'ttake the boy to jail yet. What he says may be true. Don't you thinkwe ought to ask him some questions first?"

The entire company stared at Madge in amazement. But in the singlemoment when Mr. Brown's captive started to leave the room, the littlecaptain had seen the tips of his pointed ears. She had caught thewild, almost animal gleam in his eyes. She recalled the midnightvisitor to their chaperon on the first night their houseboat had restedat anchor. She remembered Miss Jenny Ann's curious behavior, and howshe had absolutely refused to give the name of her caller. All thisswept through Madge's mind and now she understood Miss Jenny Ann'spoverty, her reticence about her own affairs, her unhappiness when thegirls first knew her at school. Of course, this wicked brother was thecause of their chaperon's difficulties. If they punished the boy, MissJenny Ann must suffer more than he would. She had lately grown to beas merry as any of the girls on board the "Merry Maid. "

"O Mrs. Curtis!" exclaimed Madge, "please don't let Tom and Mr. Browntake him off to jail. I think he _is_ our Miss Jenny Ann's brother. Iwouldn't have her find out the wicked things he has done for all themoney in the world. " Madge was almost in tears as she made her plea toMrs. Curtis. 

"Never mind, dear, " replied Mrs. Curtis soothingly. "If the lad reallyturns out to be your chaperon's brother, you are right; his behaviormust be kept a secret from her. "

Mrs. Curtis, Mr. Brown and Tom afterward found the statement of thewild boy to be true. He was really Miss Jones's brother. His parentshad died when he was a little boy, and his sister had sacrificed herlife's hopes to him. Yet her efforts had been in vain. He had alwaysbeen hard to control. In the last few years he had broken away fromall restraint. He had been concealed in the motor boat that firsttowed the girls and their chaperon to their anchorage and had seen hissister on the houseboat. His plan had been to get money from her. When she told him that she had none to give him he had devoted his timeto tormenting the crew of the "Merry Maid" in order to be revenged onhis sister. 

After long consultation it was decided not to send him to prison. Mrs. Curtis gave him the money to sail for South Africa, after making himpromise to try to turn over a new leaf, and not to write to his sisteruntil he was safely out of the country. And so Miss Jenny Ann's ghostwas laid without her knowing it until some time afterward. 

CHAPTER XXIII

"MOTHER"

Not one of the four girls closed her eyes during the long nightfollowing the dinner given by Mrs. Curtis. Miss Jenny Ann sat byMollie until toward morning, when Eleanor and Lillian relieved her. Madge and Phil walked up and down the deck in order to be ready if theywere called. But as the long night wore on, Mollie exhibited no signof returning consciousness. 

After an early breakfast the next morning Miss Jones went back to hercharge, and the girls lingered in the cabin sitting room talkingtogether in low tones. 

Madge kept her arms about Eleanor. Every now and then she would leanover to kiss her cousin. 

Nellie laughed softly. "What's the matter, Madge? Why are you soaffectionate with me all of a sudden? Does it make you care more forme because poor, lovely Mollie is so ill, and because it might just aseasily have been me, or Phil, or Lillian?"

Madge nodded. "Perhaps that is the reason. "

Neither Lillian nor Eleanor even faintly dreamed that their friend hadanything on her mind to worry her, except the critical condition poorMollie was in; but Phil knew differently. She had long suspected whatMrs. Curtis's preference for Madge meant. Phyllis and Miss Jenny Annhad even discussed the possibility of their captain leaving them. However, Phil had never broached the subject to Madge. She Philcouldn't, she wouldn't think of it. 

Mrs. Curtis and Tom arrived at the houseboat just as Madge and Philwere about to relieve Miss Jenny Ann's second watch. The physician hadsaid that he expected Mollie to regain consciousness some time duringthe morning, and that she must not be left alone for a moment. 

"Mrs. Curtis, slip into the room to see Mollie, " whispered Madge. "Phil and I must go to her now. She is unconscious, so your presencecould not frighten her. I want you to see how beautiful she is. Sheis really the prettiest person I ever saw, except you, " Madge declared, as she threw a kiss to her friend and hurried after Phil into the cabin. 

Miss Jenny Ann went into the sitting-room to lie down. Eleanor andLillian went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. 

Madge and Phil sat side by side at Mollie's berth. Madge's eyes werefixed on Mollie's unconscious face, but Phil looked often at her chum. Phyllis cared very little for wealth and position, for fine clothes andservants, but she knew these things were very dear to her friend. Yet, in a vague way, she realized that Madge would be likely to grow into afiner, sweeter woman without them. Phyllis understood their littlecaptain. She knew that Madge was full of fine impulses, was brave andloyal in the midst of difficulties; but she also knew that she waseasily spoiled and that too much money and admiration would not be goodfor her. 

"Phil, " asked Madge, "isn't Mollie stirring? Is there anything weought to do for her?"

Phil bent over to gaze more attentively at their patient. She studiedevery curve and line in the girl's exquisite face. Now that Mollie'seyes were closed, and the vacant, pathetic stare was no more visible inthem, her beauty was the more remarkable. Something in Mollie's quietfeatures seemed to surprise Phyllis, but she said nothing. 

"We can't do anything but wait, " answered Phil. "The doctor said thatquiet is all Mollie needs. She is sure to come to herself some timeto-day. "

Phil slid her chair up close beside her chum's and kissed her friend onthe cheek. It was an unusual demonstration for the reserved Phyllis. Madge stared at her. Then she turned a little pale. "You know whathas happened to me, don't you?" she whispered. "I am sure you mustknow. "

Phil bowed her head. 

"Can't you help me decide?" begged Madge. 

"No. " Phil shook her head sadly. "You'll have to make up your mindfor yourself. "

The two girls sat in silence after this. They heard Mrs. Curtis comesoftly into the room and take a low chair in the far corner of thecabin, so as not to disturb Mollie if the girl should awake. She couldjust see the bed, but not the face of the girl on the pillow. 

By and by Mollie stirred. "I am thirsty, " she said distinctly. "Willsome one please get me a glass of water?"

Phil rose quickly. "Here it is, Mollie, " she answered, handing thegirl the water, and trying to lift her with the other arm. Madgestooped over to aid her. 

"Thank you, " responded Mollie gently. "But why do you call me Mollie?My name isn't Mollie. "

"We never liked to call you 'Moll', " replied Madge soothingly. "Mollieseemed to us to be a prettier name. "

The girl laughed lightly. "No, I shouldn't think you would. My nameis Madeleine, not Mollie. And you are Phyllis and Madge. I wonder whyI never told you before that my name is Madeleine. " Mollie's eyes hadlost their pathetic stare. They were quiet and reasonable. 

"Don't try to talk, Mollie--Madeleine, I mean, " murmured Phil. "Youmust try to go to sleep again. "

She and Madge never changed their positions until the ill girl's headgrew heavy on their arms and she slept peacefully. 

"O Phil!" Madge faltered, "you don't think Mollie is going to----"

"Sh-sh!" returned Phyllis warningly. "Don't show her you are surprisedat anything she says. "

Madge clenched her hands to keep them from trembling, but she couldfeel her knees shaking under her. 

The patient opened her eyes again. "I fell off the yacht, didn't I?"she inquired. "It's funny, but I couldn't think what had happened tome for a long time. I was trying to remember all night. It was such along night. I kept seeing dreadful, rude men, who were cruel to me. Imust have been dreaming. Where is my mother? Why doesn't she come tome?"

"Your mother!" exclaimed Madge. A glance from Phil silenced her. 

"Your mother can't come to you now, she is----" Phyllis faltered. 

"Never mind, " the gentle girl spoke faintly. "Mother may be resting. She must have been dreadfully frightened when she learned I had tumbledoverboard. I think something fell and struck me on the head. "

"Don't talk any more, please, dear, " entreated Phyllis. "You can tellus all about what happened when you have rested a little longer. Youare very tired. "

The sick girl dozed again. Phyllis and Madge slipped their aching armsout from under their patient's pillow. 

"Mollie's memory has come back to her, hasn't it?" Madge breathed inher chum's ear. "I wonder if it will go away again, or if she willremember more about herself when she is stronger?"

"I believe her memory has returned, " Phil answered softly. "It is amiracle. We must be very careful. Any excitement or surprise mightkill her. I wish the doctor were here. "

Some one stole across the room without a sound. The girls knew it mustbe Mrs. Curtis. Neither one of them stirred nor for the instantglanced at their friend; they were too intent on their patient. Butthey were grateful for her presence. She had heard Mollie's peculiarremarks. She would know what they ought to do when Mollie began totalk again. 

Mrs. Curtis came so close to the sick girl's bed that Madge and Philstepped back to let her have the nearest place. She leaned over andlooked at Mollie as though she would never grow tired of gazing at her. Once her lips moved, but it was impossible to tell what she said. ThenMrs. Curtis's strength seemed to give way. She dropped on her knees, with her arms resting on the edge of Mollie's bed. 

Ten minutes passed. No one moved or spoke in the tiny cabin chamber. Mollie slept peacefully. Mrs. Curtis did not stir. She was like afigure carved in stone. She was waiting for something to happen. Wasit for the girl on the bed to speak again?

Madge and Phil scarcely dared to breathe. They did not understand thesituation, but they felt themselves to be in the presence of a mystery. A drama was being enacted in the tiny room, and they were the onlyaudience to it. 

"Mother, where are you?" Mollie's voice sounded clear and strong. 

"I am here, " Mrs. Curtis replied softly, not stirring from her positionby the bed. 

"Why hasn't Tom been here to see me? And why are Phyllis and Madge sogood to me? I don't understand. "

Mollie turned restlessly on her pillow. Her hair fell away from herforehead and revealed the jagged, ugly scar. Mrs. Curtis saw it. Forthe first time she gave an involuntary shudder of emotion. Mollie putup her hand to her head with the old, familiar gesture of pain. 

"My head hurts, " she announced, as though she had not known of herinjury before. "Have I been sick a long time? Somehow, you look sodifferent. "

Mrs. Curtis nodded. "Yes, daughter, you have been ill a long, longtime. But you will be well and happy when you wake up again. You arewith Mother now. "

Mrs. Curtis gathered Mollie into her arms and the two girls stole outof the tiny cabin, closing the door behind them. The mother anddaughter were alone. 

"What has happened to you, Madge Morton? Why do you girls look sostrangely at me?" demanded Tom Curtis as he caught sight of Madge'sface. He was leaning against the deck rail staring curiously at hisfriends. "Is Mollie worse?"

"Oh, no; she is not worse. She is well. That is, she can remember. She is---- Oh, I don't know what I am saying, " cried Madge inconfusion. 

Miss Jenny Ann came out of the sitting room. Lillian and Eleanor alsojoined the little group on deck. Still Madge was silent. 

"Ought I to tell?" she faltered, looking at Phyllis. "Don't you thinkMrs. Curtis ought to tell Tom?"

"If you have bad news for me speak quickly!" returned Tom. "I wouldrather hear it from you than anybody in the world. You are almost likea sister to me, Madge. "

The little captain went forward and put her hand gently on Tom's arm. "You won't need me for a sister now, Tom, " she said gently. "Phil andI do not understand what has happened. Your mother will have toexplain to you. But our Mollie is not Mollie at all. Her name isMadeleine. Her memory has come back to her. She thinks your mother isher mother. And Mrs. Curtis called her daughter!"

The cabin door opened. Mrs. Curtis walked out, moving like a woman ina dream. "Don't speak loudly, " she said. "Madeleine has gone tosleep. " She crossed over to Tom. "Tom, " she explained quietly, "thegirls have found your sister after twelve years; my baby is a youngwoman. "

Tom put his arm about his mother. Mrs. Curtis spoke rapidly now, asthough she feared her voice would fail her. "Miss Jones, years ago mylittle daughter, who was ten years old, fell from our steam yacht. Shehad been left alone by her nurse for a few minutes. When the womancame back the child was not to be found. No one saw or heard her falloverboard. The boat was searched, but Madeleine had disappeared. Wewere off the coast of Florida. For months and months we searched formy daughter's body. We offered everything we had in the world for newsof her. No word came. I used to think she would come back to me. Long ago I gave up hope. Now, when I saw this poor Mollie, I thought Irecognized my child, and when she opened her eyes her memory returnedto her. She knew I was her mother, in spite of my white hair. I thinkit is because she now remembers nothing of her unhappy past. Shethinks she was hurt only a short time ago. She must not learn thetruth until she is stronger. Will you keep me here with you until Ican take my daughter home?"

Mrs. Curtis staggered slightly and grew very white. It was Madge whosprang to her side and led her to a chair. "You have found what youwant most in the world, " she whispered, "I am so glad for your sake. "

CHAPTER XXIV

FAREWELL TO THE MERRY MAID

"Miss Jenny Ann, I can't get all these things packed in this barrel, "protested Madge despairingly. "I don't see how they ever got in herebefore. "

Miss Jenny Ann laughed from the depths of a large box, where she wasfolding sheets and placing them in neat piles. "Remember, we haveadded a number of tin pans to our store since we came aboard thehouseboat. But don't worry, dear. We will get all the belongingspacked in time. "

"Isn't it too awful that the houseboat has to be left to its poor dearself for the rest of the summer? Just think, we have had over sixweeks' holiday, and, if it weren't for Madeleine, it would seem likesix days. "

"I have something to tell you, Madge, " announced Miss Jenny Ann, raising a flushed face from her task. "Do you remember when you cameinto the library, at school, and found me crying over a letter? I toldyou that I was frightened at what my doctor had written me. I have adifferent story to tell now. I am well as well can be. I have gainedten pounds in six weeks; that is a record, isn't it?"

"I am so glad, " bubbled Madge. "You've been the jolliest kind of achaperon, dear Miss Jenny Ann, and we love you. You know I am sorry Iused to be so disagreeable to you at school, and you do like me now, don't you?"

Miss Jenny Ann and Madge desisted from their labors long enough toembrace each other. 

"Here, here, what is all this love-feast about?" demanded Tom Curtischeerfully. He had come quietly aboard the houseboat, and was standingat the cabin door, smiling cheerfully at the little captain. 

"Go away, Tom, " returned Madge reproachfully. "I told you we couldn'thave any company to-day. I said good-bye to you last night. We aregetting things in shape to leave the houseboat. A man who has aboat-house is going to take care of the 'Merry Maid' for us until wecome into another fortune and have another holiday. "

"What time does your train leave?" inquired Tom coolly, picking up ahammer and preparing to fasten the top on Madge's barrel. 

"At four o'clock, " sighed Madge. "We are going to Baltimore together, and start home from there. "

"It is all right, then, " answered Tom Curtis placidly. "I have plentytime to stay to luncheon. "

"Tell him he can't, Miss Jenny Ann Jones, " declared Madge inhospitably, "we haven't a thing to eat except some crackers and stale bread, and afew odd pieces of cold meat. And I am so dreadfully hungry that I caneat them all myself. "

"I am going to stay just the same, " asserted Tom. "I am going to bethe busiest little worker on the 'Merry Maid'. "

The houseboat party would never have finished its packing except fortheir uninvited visitor. He sat on trunks, fastened locks and doors. At one o'clock "The Merry Maid" was in order to be deserted. 

"Let's go up to the farmhouse to get some food, " suggested Tom. "I amhungry as a bear, and I know they will give us some milk and bread. "

Madge demurred, but the other three girls and Miss Jenny Ann were muchtoo hungry to stand on ceremony. 

Tom led the way to the farmhouse as though he felt sure of his welcome. 

At the old gate, however, they found Mrs. Curtis and Madeleineapparently waiting for them. "We couldn't bear that yesterday shouldbe good-bye, " explained Mrs. Curtis, putting her arm about Madge anddrawing her away from the others. 

Madeleine held out her hands to Phyllis. She still looked white andfragile from her illness, but she was so exquisitely lovely that peopleturned about to gaze at her as she passed by them. Her face wore theexpression of a serious child. She could not immediately make up forthe lost years of her life, and she never left her mother or herbrother but for a short time. Still she was at ease with the girls andtalked a little with them. Her memory had come back to her, whetherfrom the second blow on her head, or from the quiet life--which, themedical men could not say. After a while Madeleine would be able totake the place in the gay world which her beauty and wealth made forher. For the present she needed rest, quiet, and absolute peace ofmind. 

"You haven't changed your mind, have you, Madge?" asked Mrs. Curtis, asshe and the little captain walked side by side to the farmhousetogether. 

Madge shook her bead. "It isn't a case of changing my mind. I had notdecided. Now that you have found your real daughter you surely do notwish to be burdened with an imitation one. "

"But I still want you, my dear. A woman is richer with two daughtersthan with one, " replied Mrs. Curtis. 

"No; you and Madeleine ought to be together, " concluded Madge wisely. "You are awfully good, and I shall always feel that you are the bestfriend I have. But I had not been able to make up my mind to leave myown people and the girls, so, of course, everything has turned out forthe best, and I am so happy for you and Tom and Madeleine. It is asgood as playing a part in a fairy story to see one come true beforeyour very eyes. Have you seen Captain Mike?" Madge lowered her voice, so that Madeleine could not overhear her. 

Mrs. Curtis flushed. "Once, and for always. I hope never to look uponthe dreadful man again. Tom felt that he and I must go to this Mike toask him something of my little girl's history. He claims to havepicked her up and, thinking her dead, left her for a few hoursunnoticed in his sailboat. The man had done something reprehensiblewhile in Florida, and was sailing for the Atlantic Ocean to flee fromjustice, so he did not stop to inquire about my child, or to give hermore than a passing thought. His first wife was evidently a betterwoman than this second one. She worked with my Madeleine, brought herback to life and must have been good to her. But my baby could neverremember her name, nor tell anything about herself. Captain Mike wason the ocean for two weeks, and too ignorant to study the papersafterward. The first wife wished to keep the child. After a shorttime she died, and then----" Mrs. Curtis stopped abruptly. 

"We won't ever mention it again, " said Madge tactfully. "I can onlysay I am so glad you found her. "

Mrs. Watson, the farmer's wife, met the houseboat party with a smilingface. She conducted them into the dining room. Miss Jenny Ann and thefour girls sighed with satisfaction for they were very hungry. Thegreat mahogany table was weighted down with food--roast chicken, ham, salad, doughnuts. 

"This is Tom's party, " smiled Mrs. Curtis, in answer to a look ofdelighted astonishment from Madge. "It was his idea to say a lastgood-bye to our houseboat friends, and to see them safely started ontheir journey toward home. But, Miss Jenny Ann, I have something tosay. I wish to tell you a story and I wish you to tell me what youthink without any reference to anybody or anything at this table. "

"Of course I will, " answered Miss Jenny Ann lightly, not dreaming whatMrs. Curtis intended to say. 

"Suppose, once upon a time you had lost something very precious, "continued Mrs. Curtis. "Say it was a mine of precious stones. Supposeyou had hunted for years but could never find it. After a while somefriends discover the treasure for you, and give it back to you? Don'tyou believe you would like to do something to show your gratitude?"

"Certainly I should, " replied Miss Jenny Ann promptly, falling into thetrap. 

"Then why not let me have a houseboat party this fall?" proposed Mrs. Curtis. "Madeleine and I will be staying near Old Point Comfort. Tomwill be camping with some boy friends near Cape Charles. I am going tocount on your bringing the houseboat down the shore to pay us a visitand you are to be my guests from the moment you set foot on the boat. "

The four chums looked at Mrs. Curtis, their eyes shining with delight. Another holiday on their beloved houseboat! But ought they accept sogreat a gift from Mrs. Curtis. They understood that it was herintention to finance the trip. 

Tom looked at his watch. "It's a pity to break up the party. But aswe are to drive to the village we must soon be off. The expressman hasalready taken the trunks. You'd better accept mother's invitation. "

"We thank you, " said Madge slowly, "but will you give us a few days inwhich to decide? Then we will write you at Old Point Comfort. "

"Very well, " replied Mrs. Curtis, "but let us hope that your answerwill be 'yes. ' I wish you would look upon the trip as a love offeringfrom Madeleine. "

Mrs. Curtis looked wistfully at the circle of girlish faces. Her eyes, mute with pleading, met Madge's. They seemed to say, "Why not decidenow, and make us happy?"

Their appeal was too strong for Madge. "Girls, I think we ought toaccept Mrs. Curtis's gift to us. It is right and she wishes us to doso. Of what use is it to wait three days. Let us say 'yes' now andthen we shall all he happy. All together! Is it 'yes'?"

"'Yes, '" chorused four voices. 

Madge turned to Mrs. Curtis. "We must say good-bye this minute, butwe'll write you, and one of these days you'll find our 'Ship of Dreams'anchored on your beach. "

How Madge kept her promise and what happened during their visit to OldPoint Comfort is fully set forth in "MADGE MORTON'S SECRET, " a story nowide-awake girl can afford to miss. 

THE END.