e lads shake and shiver,
and seeming to freeze weakly Jem to the very marrow and set his limbs to
aching. Then in the night the storm broke, one of those fierce September
gales which often sweep the coast, and for forty-eight hours roared and
raged without, while the impatient urchins grumbled and raged within.

It was an exceedingly wet world that at last emerged, bright and
glistening, after the deluge, but Kit Bundy was early astir and down on
the shore to see what havoc the tempest had made. Dead fish, drift-wood,
portions of wrecks, and other flotsam and jetsam strewed the beach, up
which he slowly sauntered, kicking before him a round stone that bounded
merrily across the sand. Presently, in front of the Naiad Hotel, a
particularly vigorous kick sent it high in air, and then landed it in a
deep hollow worn by the waves. Mechanically Kit paused to lift his
improvised plaything from the hole, when something beside it caused him
to fall on his knees with a low stifled gasp. Not another sound escaped
him, but there was a new and curious expression on his face when he
finally rose and almost ran to the boarding-house he and his father
called "home." Later in the day the long line of beach-combers were
electrified by the message that passed from mouth to mouth, "Kit is the
lucky one; he has found the diamond earring."

From far and near the boys hastened to behold the jewel, about which
there could not have been more interest had it been the Koh-i-noor
itself, and the finder had to point out just where he discovered it in
his section, deeply buried a foot from the surface.

"Not so dreadfully hoodooed after all, were you, Kit?" Bert could not
resist remarking; but most of the lads swallowed their own
disappointment, and congratulated him warmly, while Jem threw his hat in
the air, piping,

"Hip, hip, hurrah for Bundy, the prize-winner!"

But the hero of the hour did not appear particularly pleased with these
attentions. He grew very red, and turned away, muttering, "Oh, shut up,
fellows! It isn't worth makin' such a fuss over."

"Just hear the Rothschild," squeaked Teddy Todd. "One would think he
picked up gems every day in the year. I shouldn't be so grumpy if I had
had his luck."

"Which he don't deserve," said outspoken Eileen, who had come down to
gather drift-wood. "Oh dear! how unequal things are in this world! If
Jem had but drawn that side of the stake instead of the other, we would
be fairly spinnin' wi