lags, and brother and sister carried on a silent
conversation for some ten minutes.

"No, girls," Laura said, seriously, when she came down from the rock
and led the way to the breakfast table. "Chet assures me none of the
boys have been over here. They were coming right after breakfast,
anyway, and will come in the powerboats."

"They know nothing about our loss, and Chet is impressed with the
seriousness of the affair. I wouldn't let him think we were scared at
all, but asked to borrow a boat so as to get more provisions."

"No! I should say not!" exclaimed Jess. "After what they said about
our calling them, when they left us the other night, we don't want to
give then a chance to laugh at us."

"Who'll go for the provisions to this Crossing you speak of?" asked
Nellie.

"Oh, a couple of the boys. The others will help us search the island,"
Laura said, cheerfully.

"Make out a list of what is needed, Laura," advised Mrs. Morse, as she
retired to her typewriter. "And be sure to get a bottle of peroxide.
It's good for cuts, or mosquito bites, or any poison."

Not long after breakfast the two powerboats, the _Duchess_ and the
_Bonnie Lass_, were seen approaching. All the boys had come, and they
were all very curious as to the raid that had been made upon the
girls' pantry.

Purt Sweet had seemingly been transformed in the two days he had been
"roughing it" in camp. He still wore the green knickerbockers, and the
long stockings. The belt with its hunting-knife scabbard, was about
his waist. And there was a suspicious bunch under his waistband that
announced the presence of the ancient revolver.

However, Purt's mother would not have known his clothing, so stained,
torn and bedraggled did his garments appear. The boys had made him do
his share of the camp work. Chopping wood had made his palms blister,
sparks had snapped out of the fires he had made and burned holes in
his clothes, and hot fat snapping from the skillet had left red marks
on his hands and face.

Having fun in camp was the hardest work Purt Sweet had ever done; but
he was ashamed to "kick" about it before the girls. He came ashore to
assure Lil Pendleton that he would do his best to find and punish the
marauders who had raided the camp on the island.

"Whether the fellow paid for what he got, or not," Chet said,
seriously, when he had heard the particulars, "we want to know if he
is still here, and what he means by such actions."

"We must kn