"

But later they thought that they might have been a little more careful
in searching the upper end of Acorn Island.

CHAPTER XIV

"MORE FUN THAN A LITTLE"

The girls were tired enough when they got back from the search; and it
being an hour before dinner, Mrs. Morse advised them all to retire to
the sleeping tent and lie down.

However, it was too sultry for that, and they chose to put on bathing
suits and take a second dip to cool off. The boys had their bathing
suits, too, and the party had twenty minutes of fun in the lake, with
Mrs. Morse sitting on a rock in the shade and enjoying the pranks.

Lil's bathing suit was very resplendent, and so was Purt's. They were
so much better dressed than anybody else that Bobby declared she was
ashamed to be seen in their company--so she dove under the water.

The cut-up had the power of remaining beneath the surface a long time,
and she crawled on the bottom to where Lil and Purt stood, waist deep
in the water, without being observed.

Suddenly Purt yelled, dropped Lil's hand, and grabbed at the calf of
his right leg. "A crab's got me!" he bawled.

"A crab in fresh water?" jeered Billy Long. "That's a new one!"

"It's one of those horrid snapping turtles!" shrieked Lil, and started
for the shore. Not quickly enough, however, to escape Bobby's thumb
and finger.

"It's that horrid Bobby Hargrew!" gasped Lil, seeing the black-eyed
one shoot up from beneath, and take a long breath.

"Aw, Miss Hargrew!" begged Purt. "Don't bother us so. It's weally too
bad of you."

"Then act human!" ejaculated Bobby. "Don't you two stand around as
though you were fashion pictures in the magazines. Duck under and get
your hair wet! You'll both get a sunstroke," and in passing them she
managed to tip Lil right over backward--and that beautiful bathing
suit never _did_ look as well after it was all wet!

They had dinner before Lance and Reddy returned from their errand. It
had already been agreed that the boys should stay all day at Acorn
Island and not return to their own camp until after supper.

Occasionally one of them took a squint at the camp across the lake
through a pair of glasses. But nothing disturbed _that_ spot. Their
tents were erected in a clearing at the edge of the water, and they
knew there was not a human habitation on that side of the lake within
five miles.

Elberon Crossing was at the head of Rocky River, but a good half mile
from the water and landi