remove the obstacle
to your rowing with your schoolmates again. That is all."

There was what Bobby called "a regular love feast" at the boathouse that
afternoon. It was not practice day; but when Professor Dimp heard of the
return of the Lockwood twins to the crew he was delighted.

Public interest in Billy Long and his possible connection with the
robbery of the department store had rather died out by this time. The
friends of Short and Long had rallied around him, and he was not
arrested. When his ankle was better he hobbled to school on crutches;
but the boys missed him greatly on the ball field.

Billy told his chums that he was sure the two men he saw had hidden
money somewhere about the caverns of the island; and not only were the
boys of Central High interested in this "buried treasure," but their
sisters as well.

"I tell you what," said Bobby Hargrew, on the Beldings' porch one
evening when Laura had been having one of her "parties"; "let's organize
and incorporate 'The Central High Treasure Hunting Company, Limited,'
and go over to Cavern Island and just dig it up by the roots till we
find Billy's treasure in a lard kettle."

"Sounds terribly romantic," said Jess Morse.

"We had a scrumptious time over there at the other picnic," said
Dorothy.

"I vote for another Saturday at the caverns, anyway," said Chet.

"Me, too," added Lance Darby.

"Well, you folks can guy me all you want to," said Short and Long, who
was getting about with a cane now instead of his crutches. "But those
fellers talked of money, and of burying it in a lard can."

"Say!" exclaimed Lance, "a lard can will hold a lot of money."

"All right. You laugh. I'm going to have another look for it when I get
over there," said Billy.

"And I'm with you, Billy," said Josephine Morse, with a sigh. "Goodness
me! I need to find a buried treasure, or something of the kind."

Jess's mother was a widow and in straitened circumstances, and sometimes
Jess was cramped for clothing as well as spending money. She lived at
the "poverty-stricken" end of Whiffle Street, just as the Beldings lived
at the "wealthy" end.

So the party for the next Saturday was made up in this impromptu
fashion, without one of the members realizing what an important occasion
that outing would prove.

It looked to Dora and Dorothy, when they reached home that evening, as
though they might have to "cut" the "treasure hunt," however. Aunt Dora
had gone to bed quite il