ses would be here," went on Edith, "and as they know
us and know you they could introduce us better. But we'll just scrape
acquaintance."

"Oh, that's all right," said Dotty. "I'm Dotty Rose and this is my chum,
Dolly Fayre, and my little sister, Genie. I have a brother but he isn't
here." She smiled at the boys as she said this and Elmer Holmes said,
"That doesn't matter; we just love to play with girls. And anyhow here
comes Jack Norris to keep us in countenance."

Jack and Maisie Norris came along, having walked over from the next
camp. They were acquainted with the Holmes' young people as both
families had been there all summer.

Introductions over, they all sat along the edge of the open tent. The
floor of this, being only about a foot above ground, made a convenient
seat and those who wished had cushions to sit on or lean against.

"Awful glad you people got up here at last," said Maisie Norris as she
twisted one of Dotty's curls round her finger. "Is your arm all well,
Dot?"

"Yes, though it isn't awfully strong yet. I have to be a little careful.
But it was my left one, you know, so I can play croquet and tennis and
do most everything."

"You had a gay old mixup, didn't you?" said Jack Norris, smiling at
Dolly. "You broke yourself, too, didn't you?"

"Oh, yes; you know Dotty and I are next-door neighbours this year, and
whatever one of us does the other has to. But we're both mended now and
ready for any sort of fun."

Then Mr. Rose came along, bringing about a dozen spades. They were small
ones, such as come with children's gardening tools, and he gave one to
each of the young people present.

"What for?" asked Elmer Holmes, as he looked at the shining new tool.

"I told my girls that this was to be a Kidd party," said Mr. Rose, "but
they didn't quite understand what I meant. Now I'll explain. Has each
one a spade?"

"Yes," and the nine boys and girls held them up.

"All right then. Now, what you want to do is to dig for Captain Kidd's
buried treasure. You have all heard that old Captain Kidd buried a lot
of treasure somewhere, but I doubt if you were aware that he buried it
in Crosstrees Camp. However, there is a tradition to that effect and so
I would like you to do your best to find it. Tradition says that the
treasure was buried somewhere near the spot where we are now. It is
hidden, I believe, not farther than fifty feet away in any direction
from this open tent, so everybody may dig whereve