tingly; "you know that there are thousands
of foreign spies in this country trying to help our enemies in Europe,
and I don't like to be classed with them."

"That's patriotic," said Helen, the twinkle in her eyes becoming
brighter. "But you must remember that there are spies and spies, good
spies and bad spies. All of our law-enforcement officials are spies in
their attempts to crush crime. Your mother was a spy when she watched
you as a little tot stealing into the pantry to poke your fist into the
jam. That is what Mrs. Hutchins suspects is taking place now. Someone
has got his or her fist in the jam. We must go and peek in through the
pantry door."

"Oh, if you put it that way, it'll be lots of fun," Marie
exclaimed eagerly. "I'd just like to catch 'em with their fists
all--all--smeared!"

She brought the last word out so ecstatically that everybody laughed.

"I'm afraid you have fallen into the pit that I warned you against,"
Miss Ladd said, addressing Marie. "You mustn't start out eager to prove
the persons, under suspicion, guilty."

"Then we must drive out of our minds the picture of the fists smeared
with jam," deplored Marie with a playful pout.

"I fear that you must," was the smiling concurrence of the Guardian.

"Very well; I'm a good soldier," said Marie, straightening up as if
ready to "shoulder arms." "I won't imagine any jam until I see it."

"Here comes Hazel," cried Julietta, and everybody looked in the
direction indicated.

Hazel Edwards had taken advantage of this occasion to go to her aunt's
house and thence to the city Red Cross headquarters for a new supply of
yarn for their army and navy knitting. As she emerged from the timber
and continued along the edge of the woods toward the site of the camp,
the assembled campers could see that she carried a good-sized bundle
under one arm.

"She's got some more yarn, and we can now take up our knitting again,"
said Ethel Zimmerman, who had proved herself to be the most rapid of all
the members of the Camp Fire with the needles.

Although the business of the meeting was finished, by tacit agreement
those present decided not to adjourn until Hazel arrived and received
official notice of what had been done.

"I'm delighted with your decision," Hazel said eagerly. "And, do you
know, I believe we are going to have some adventure. I've been talking
the matter over with Aunt Hannah and she has told me a lot of very
interesting things. But when do