et that ten dollars, and I'll keep
the young ladies here safe until you come back."

"Not much I won't!" cried Tod angrily. "Run on back, girls. Go on--beat
it!"

"No, you don't!" and the big man stepped forward and laid his hand on
Dotty's shoulder.

"Take your hand off that lady! Don't you dare to touch her," and Tod's
eyes blazed as he flung himself toward the big man.

"What is it all about? What is the matter?" exclaimed Dolly, who
couldn't understand what she had supposed was a good-natured chat with
the fishermen.

"They want us to pay ten dollars," said Dotty, indignantly, "and unless
we do, they're going to lock us up."

"Lock us up nothing!" shouted Tod, who was unable to decide himself what
was the best thing to do. The arrival of Dolly had complicated his
dilemma, for now he had two girls to protect instead of one. He wished
Tad had come with her, for the twins were big and brawny for their years
and could have made a fair showing of rebellion against the injustice of
the fishermen.

Dolly considered the matter gravely. She looked from Dotty and Tod to
the rude, unkempt men, and after a few moments' thought she made up her
mind. Deliberately she opened a little chatelaine bag that hung at her
belt and took from it a ten dollar gold piece. It was her share of the
cake prize, for Mr. Rose had changed the twenty dollar gold piece into
two tens for the girls.

She looked at the big man with scorn, and holding out the gold piece,
she said in cool, haughty tones, "Here is your money; please do not
detain my friends any longer."

"Don't you do it, Dolly," cried Tod; "it's an outrage!"

"I know it's an outrage," Dolly said, calmly, "but I prefer to pay the
money rather than parley with these people."

Dolly's air of superiority would have been funny, had not all concerned
been so deeply in earnest.

"Hoity-Toity!" said the big, ugly man, "you're a fine young miss, you
are! You treat us like the dirt under your feet, do you? Well, if so
be's you pay our claim, we ain't objectin' to your manner. Be as high
and mighty as you like, but give us that there coin."

Without a further word, Dolly dropped the gold piece into the man's
grimy, outstretched hand, and the three turned and walked away back to
civilisation.

"I'm up and down sorry that I couldn't get you out of that mess better,"
said Tod, as they went along the boardwalk. "Of course, I'll pay you
back the money, Dolly, only I felt mighty cheap t