d never have to come home.

"Now girls, we will take turns in guarding the fan. Two at a time
through the night," said Bet. "But if you think I'm going to let the
fan out of _my_ possession, you're mistaken. Right now, I'm going to
fasten it around my neck! And what's more, I'm going to sleep with it
on."

"But a thief may come and carry you away, fan and all!" exclaimed Joy.

"Not if we are guarding her!" Shirley assured them. "Where will we
sleep?"

"Shirley and Joy must have the room across the hall, and Kit will sleep
with me. Two of us must always be together. I have the feeling if one
of you girls had been with me the other night, the fan might not have
been stolen at all."

"Let me have the first watch, then," said Shirley. "I'm such a night
owl anyway, that I won't mind staying awake. Joy and I can watch until
two o'clock, then we'll waken you."

The girls caught the thrill of the night watch and almost hoped a thief
might come so they could capture him.

"Someone may try to kidnap Bet, if he thinks she has the fan on her,"
suggested Kit.

"If he does, Bet, he'll have to kidnap all four girls, for we'll stand
by you!" Joy put her arms protectingly around Bet.

"I'd love to catch the thief, lock him up in a closet, send for Chief
Baldwin and have him arrested. That would end the mystery of the
queen's fan."

"And that's what I call romantic bunkum," laughed Auntie Gibbs.
"You'll all go to bed tonight and get your rest! Uncle Nat will hide
the fan so no one will get it."

At which there was a loud protest from all the girls. They had no
intention of being cheated out of any of the thrilling romance of the
fan.

Bet was tucked into bed with all the tenderness that one bestows on a
small child and was made to promise, hand on heart, that she would not
step outside her room for any reason whatever, unless one of the girls
was with her.

Shirley had no difficulty in keeping awake until two o'clock but she
did have trouble in keeping Joy's eyes open.

"I'd let you sleep, honey, only I gave Bet my solemn promise that we'd
_both_ stay awake."

"It's all right, Shirley. Just give me a dig if I nod. I won't mind.
We've got to help Bet!" Joy yawned and stretched.

But it did seem a long time to Joy before Shirley said, "Time's up!"
and together they crossed the hall to waken Bet and Kit. They had been
sitting just inside the door of their room where they could watch up
and down the ha