!"

"No. I almost feel as if I were leaving something undone!"

"But I've often noticed that when you go at something else, the thing
you are worrying about completely clears up. Come on, get your hat and
coat." Joy added her persuasion. "You've been worrying too much to
think straight, otherwise you'd have solved the problem long ago or
found a clue."

Bet finally gave in, but not quite willingly. School would begin on
Monday and after that the girls would not have so much time to work on
the problem. Bet wondered how she could ever put her mind on algebra
and history when the mystery of the lost fan still hung over her.

Shirley had brought along her photographic outfit and said, "Please
don't back out, Bet, for then none of them will go without you, and I
do want to set my camera for a wild animal. I'm almost sure we'll see
deer tracks. Wouldn't I be happy if I could get a picture of a deer
for that wild animal picture contest?"

"And I suppose we'll be expected to stand around on one foot while you
tinker with all those attachments and shutters and other crazy things,"
fussed Joy.

"I won't ask you to stand on one foot. You can use both and I won't
charge you a cent more," replied Shirley with the slightest note of
annoyance in her voice. Shirley was quiet and even-tempered and was
always the peace-maker when the atmosphere between the chums became
charged with strife.

"All right, Shirley. It's your affair, only don't ask me to carry one
of those boxes. I'll have enough with this lunch, knowing we will soon
make it lighter."

"Yes, you would fuss about everything except your lunch, Joy Evans,"
snapped Shirley, now thoroughly cross. "Come on, girls, let's go!" and
Shirley hastened out the door in advance of others.

"Let her go, Bet. She'll cool off in the frosty air," said Joy.

"I think everybody is getting nervous and I'm sure it's my fault, I've
been so irritable to everyone," replied Bet.

But as they stepped outside the door their joyous spirits revived and
they started away with a song. Auntie Gibbs watched them as they
tramped up over the hill, and when they disappeared, she turned back to
her work.

"She's a spoiled child, that Bet! Girls didn't act like that when I
was young! They didn't go gallivanting around: they stayed home and
did their knitting!" the old lady scolded, but as she lacked an
audience her temper soon cooled and she went about her work thinking
only of her