e some malicious mischief makers in this vicinity,"
Helen Nash observed. "I suppose the person who did that was the one who
threw a stone into our bonfire and hooted our watchword so hideously."

"What shall we do?" Violet Munday questioned. "We can't let this sort of
thing go on indefinitely."

"We must complain to the authorities," Ernestine Johanson suggested.

"Do you suppose they would do anything?" Estelle Adler asked. "I
understand it's very hard to get these country officials busy on
anything except a murder or a robbery."

"Then we must organize a series of relief watches and take the law into
our own hands," Katherine proposed.

"Spoken like a true soldier," commented Miss Ladd approvingly. "I was
going to suggest something of the same sort, although not quite so much
like anarchy."

"Where do you suppose they hid that rope?" Marion Stanlock inquired.

"Somebody probably needed a clothesline."

"Here come some people who may be able to throw some light on the
situation," said Marion.

All looked up and saw two girls apparently in their "upper teens,"
dressed more suitably for an afternoon tea than a rustic outing. The
latter were descending the wooded hill-shore, and had just emerged from
a thick arboreal growth into a comparatively clear area a hundred yards
away.

"Sh!" Katherine warned quickly. "Be careful what you say or do. Those
are the Graham girls."

CHAPTER XXII.

THE GRAHAM GIRLS CALL.

"They're early risers; we must say that much for them," observed
Katherine in a low voice. "We must give them credit for not lying in bed
until 10 o'clock and, and----"

"And for dressing for an afternoon party before breakfast," Helen Nash
concluded.

"Isn't it funny!" Hazel Edwards said with a suppressed titter. "I wonder
if they are going in bathing."

"Keep still, girls," Miss Ladd interposed. "They're getting pretty near.
Let's not pay too much attention to them. Let them seek our
acquaintance, not we theirs. The advantage will be on our side then."

At this suggestion of the Guardian, the girls turned their attention
again to the conditions about their bathing beach. A moment later
Katherine made a discovery that centered all interest in unaffected
earnest upon the latest depredation of their enemy, or enemies. With a
stick she fished out one end of a small rope and was soon hauling away
at what appeared to be the "clothes line" they had used to indicate the
safety limits of their