tion of the boy was a boon to them. Of course, $3,000
a year was more than was needed, but that was the provision made by his
father in his will, and as long as they had possession of the boy they
were entitled to the money. Moreover, Mrs. Hutching understands that
Glen's father desired to pay the caretakers of his child so well that
there could be no doubt that he would get the best of everything he
needed, particularly education.

"But apparently his father made a big mistake in selecting the persons
who were to take the places of father and mother to the little boy. If
reports are true, they have been using most of the money on themselves
and their own children and Glen has received but indifferent clothes,
care, and education. Now I am coming to the main point of my statement
to you.

"Mrs. Hutchins talked the matter over with Miss Ladd and me and asked us
to put it up to you in this way: She was wondering if we wouldn't like
to make a trip to the place where Glen is living and find out how he is
treated. Mrs. Hutchins has an idea that we are a pretty clever set of
girls and there is no use of trying to argue her out of it. So that much
must be agreed to so far as she is concerned. She wants to pay all of
our expenses and has worked out quite an elaborate plan; or rather she
and her lawyer worked it out together. Really, it is very interesting."

"Why, she wants us to be real detectives," exclaimed Violet Munday
excitedly.

"No, don't put it that way," Julietta Hyde objected. "Just say she wants
us to take the parts of fourteen Lady Sherlock Holmeses in a Juvenile
drama in real life."

"Very cleverly expressed," Miss Ladd remarked admiringly. "Detective is
entirely too coarse a term to apply to any of my Camp Fire Girls and I
won't stand for it."

"We might call ourselves special agents, operatives, secret emissaries,
or mystery probers," Harriet Newcomb suggested.

"Yes, we could expect something like that from our walking dictionary,"
said Ernestine Johanson. "But whatever we call ourselves, I am ready to
vote aye. Come on with your--or Mrs. Hutchins and her lawyers'--plan,
Katherine. I'm impatient to hear the rest of it."

Katherine produced an envelope from her middy-blouse pocket and drew
from it a folded paper, which she unfolded and spread out before her.

CHAPTER IV.

THE GIRLS VOTE "AYE."

"Before I take up the plan outlined by Mrs. Hutchins and her lawyer,"
Katherine continued, as she