ksgiving, it seemed as if all obstacles were
now removed.

Accordingly, she carried out her project the following day. She attended
school in the morning, and came home for lunch as usual, so as not to
arouse suspicion; but shortly after one o'clock, she slipped out with
her bag all packed. And her most precious possessions were Marjorie's
pink dress and sweater!

If she had carefully calculated her time, she could not have chosen a
more favorable hour for escape. All of Miss Allen's girls, and the
teachers as well, were at luncheon, and the public school children were
already back at their desks. Finally, one-thirty in the afternoon was
just the time that Mrs. Johnson invariably selected for her nap!

Cautiously watching the campus, she untied the rope, and stepped into
the canoe. It was a simple matter to paddle across the lake to the spot
where the small stream joined it; but it was a more difficult feat to
carry the canoe even a short distance on dry land. Frieda Hammer was a
strong girl, but had it not been for the thought of the price she could
get for it, and the distress its loss would bring to the Scouts, she
would have cast aside her heavy burden then and there. She wished, too,
that it had belonged to Ruth instead of to Marjorie, but she kept
assuring herself that she was glad to bring trouble to any member of
Pansy troop.

The distance, however, was short, and in a few minutes she was back
again on the water. She paddled on and on, encountering no further
obstacles, but was surprised at the speed with which the afternoon
seemed to pass. The shadows began to lengthen; and there was still no
sight of a river. She realized that soon she would be obliged to stop
for the night. Through the trees, over on the left bank of the stream,
she distinguished a house. Perhaps she might rest there for the night!

It was the "haunted house" which the Scouts later visited, but Frieda
did not know that. Had she heard the tale of the ghost, she would
probably have hesitated before remaining there alone all night; but no
such story troubled her imagination. She was thankful for the shelter
and protection, for the night was chilly.

Opening her bag, she took out the hasty lunch she had packed, and ate it
greedily. She was hungry and tired. A few minutes later, she was fast
asleep on the floor.

She awoke at dawn, thoroughly chilled, but refreshed, nevertheless, by
her night's sleep. She did not lose a moment in collectin