replied; "I'd say that it was very strange
for Aunt Hannah to select a 'bunch of girls' to do so important a piece
of work as this. But when you speak of the 'bunch' as a 'bunch of girls
like us,' I reply 'No, it wasn't strange at all'."

"I'm afraid you're getting conceited, Hazel," Katherine protested
gently. "I know you did some remarkable work when you found your aunt's
missing papers, but you shouldn't pat yourself on the back with such a
resounding slap."

"I wasn't referring to myself particularly," Hazel replied with a smile
suggestive of "something more coming." "I was referring principally to
my very estimable Camp Fire chums, and of course it would look foolish
for me to attempt to leave myself out of the compliment. I suppose I
shall have to admit that I am a very classy girl, because if I weren't,
I couldn't be associated with such a classy bunch--see? Either I have to
be classy or accuse you other girls of being common like myself."

"I'm quite content to be called common," said Katherine.

"But I don't think you are common, and that's where the difficulty comes
in."

"Won't you be generous and call me classy, and I'll admit I'm classy to
keep company with my classy associates, and you can do likewise and we
can all be an uncommonly classy bunch of common folks."

"If we could be talking a string of nonsense like this every time we
meet Mr. Langford, we could throw him off the track as easy as scat,"
said Hazel meditatively. "What do you say, Katherine?--let's try it the
next time he's around: We'll be regular imp--, inp-- What's the
word--impromptu actors."

"We mustn't overdo it," Katherine cautioned.

"Of course not. Why should we? We'll do just as we did this time--let
one idea lead on to another in easy, rapid succession. Think it over and
whenever you get an idea pass it around, and we'll be all primed for
him. It'll be lots of fun if we get him guessing, and be to our
advantage, too."

Hazel and Katherine reached the Point in time to see the motorboat
containing the other members of the Fire approaching about a mile away.
They did not know, of course, who were in the boat, and as it was deemed
wise not to indulge in any demonstrations, no one on either side did
any signalling; but they were not long in doubt as to who the passengers
were. A flight of steps led from the top of the point to the landing,
and the two advance spies, as they were now quite content to be called,
walked down the