-of-all-work that
she hoped the "ha'nt" had been laid, before they sought their cots
that night.

But in the morning there was a most surprising sequel to the incident.
The larder had been robbed!

"It can't be," said Laura, who heard of the trouble first of all when
she popped out of the sleeping tent. Lizzie Bean had awakened Mrs.
Morse and that lady--bundled in a blanket-robe--had come to the
cook-tent to see.

"I ain't never walked in my sleep yet--and knowed it," stated Lizzie,
with conviction. "And there's the things missin'----"

The remainder of the big ham, a strip of bacon, coffee, sugar, syrup,
canned milk, and half a sack of flour were among the things which had
disappeared.

While the three stood there, amazed, Bobby came. "Bet it was those
boys," said she. "Playing a joke on us. They're over here somewhere."

The sun was just rising, and its early beams shone on the camp across
the lake. Laura ran for the binoculars and examined the boys' camp.
Both powerboats were there, and the five canoes. The boys were all
disporting themselves in the water--Laura could count the six.

"If they did it," she said, "they got back to their camp very early."

"See this!" shrieked Bobby, suddenly.

She was pointing to the table, set as usual for breakfast. Pinned to
the red and white checked table-cloth was a crisp ten dollar bill.

"Whoever robbed us paid for the goods," Mrs. Morse said, feebly.

"It was that ha'nt!" declared Liz.

At that the story of the man's face she had seen at the edge of the
wood the evening before, came out. All the girls heard the story, and
at once there was a great hullabaloo!

"A man on the island!" gasped Nellie. "I'm going home."

"Pooh!" said Bobby. "Liz says it's a ghost. A kleptomaniac ghost at
that."

"He can't be a kleptomaniac, Bobby," said Laura, laughing, "or he
wouldn't have left money for the goods."

"He's a kleptomani-_antic_ ghost, then!" giggled Bobby.

"How ridiculous!" said Jess. "Whoever heard the like?"

"The fact remains," said her mother, "that some stranger has been here
while we slept, and taken the provisions--and we shall have to get
more."

"The ten dollars will more than pay for what's missing," said Laura,
slowly.

"What of that?" demanded Nellie. "I don't like the idea."

Lizzie was somewhat flurried. "And me--I was sleepin' right behind
that canvas curtain. Not again! never! I'm goin' back to town."

At this the girls all set up a wail