l, and before morning Mr. Lockwood telephoned
for the doctor. He came and the family was up most of that night. Aunt
Dora had caught cold and it had settled into a severe muscular rheumatic
attack.

The poor lady suffered a great deal during the next few days, having
considerable fever, and being quite out of her head at times. She called
for "Dora" then, almost incessantly, and no matter which twin responded
she declared it wasn't her namesake, but Dorothy, and that they "were
trying to fool her!"

"And, oh, dear, me," said Dorothy, "I wish we hadn't done it, Dora."

"I wish so, too. When I tell her that _I'm_ Dora she doesn't believe
me."

"Poor Auntie!" sighed Dorothy. "I expect she has had her heart set on
taking you home with her."

"Yes, it's preyed on her mind."

"I tell you what!" ejaculated Dorothy.

"What now?"

"Let me take your place. I'll go home with her--for a while, at least."

"No you won't! I'm Dora. I'll go with her," said the other twin,
decisively. "And just think how she went to Mr. Sharp and got us off
from Gee Gee's decision."

"But you mustn't go with her to stay all the time, Dora. That would kill
me!" cried Dorothy.

"No. But I'll go a little while this summer. We'll have to do something
for her. I expect she's lonely in her big house with nobody but
servants."

Thus the twins tried to quiet their consciences--they really had _two_
of those unfortunate arrangements. And the consciences would not be
quieted easily. The girls ran home from school the next afternoon before
they went to the boathouse; and were prepared to cut practice had Aunt
Dora needed them.

But fortunately the patient was asleep, and the twins hurried down to
take their places in the shell. The Big Day was now approaching. There
were not many more afternoons on which the girls might practice for the
races.

"We mustn't disappoint the other girls, and the whole school, and give
up the eight-oared shell practice," Dora said to Dorothy.

"No; but if Aunt Dora is going to be ill long we will have to give up
our canoe work. Let Hester Grimes and Lil Pendleton beat us in that, if
they will. Aunt Dora needs us--and we owe her some gratitude, if nothing
more," agreed her twin.

CHAPTER XXII

THE STOLEN SHELL

The very next morning Bobby Hargrew came screeching into the rear gate
of the Lockwood premises as though she was being chased by a bear.

"For the land of pity's sake!" gasped Mrs. Betsey, app