on't say anything
about our mission on the boat. The boatman would be sure to start some
gossip that probably would reach the ears of the very persons we want to
keep in the dark as much as possible."

They were soon back in the large canopied motorboat, and Miss Ladd gave
instructions to the pilot. The latter cranked his engine, took his place
at the wheel, and backed the vessel away from the landing. A few moments
later the "Big Twin," as the owner facetiously named the boat to
distinguish it from a smaller one which he called the "Little Twin," was
dashing along the wooded hill-shore which extended nearly a mile to the
north from Stony Point. They obtained a good view of the section of the
shore just north of the Graham cottage and picked out several spots
which appeared from the distance viewed to be very good camping sites.
Then the prow of the boat was turned to the south and they cut along at
full speed toward Twin Lakes.

The run was quickly made, and Katherine and Hazel hastened at once to
the Ferris real estate office and presented their petition to Mr. Ferris
in person. The latter was much interested when he learned that a Fire of
Camp Fire Girls desired permission to pitch their tents on land of which
he was the local agent, and still more interested when informed that
they were students at Hiawatha Institute whose reputation was well known
to him. He gave them a pen-and-ink drawing of the vicinity, indicating
the approximate lines of the lands owned or leased by cottagers then in
possession, and granted them permission, free of charge, to locate their
camp at any place they desired so long as they did not encroach on the
rights of others.

An hour later the squint-eyed man whose activities have already created
much of interest in this narrative entered the office of Mr. Ferris and
inquired:

"Are you agent for that land along the lake just north of Stony Point?"

"I am," the real estate man replied.

"Do you allow campers to pitch their tents on the land for a week or two
at a time?"

"I don't object if they are all right. I always require some sort of
credentials. I wouldn't allow strangers to squat there without giving me
some kind of notice. I granted permission to a bunch of Camp Fire Girls
today to pitch their tents there."

"Is that so? Where are they going to locate?"

"Just beyond the Graham cottage, if you know where that is."

"That is where some friends of mine would like to camp," sa