ss himself.

There were other contests between the Hilltop boys alone, and the
Rocky Hills alone, as well as between teams made up of both camps,
the winners being about evenly divided and the best of good feeling
prevailing.

In the final motor-boat race Jack Sheldon won by several lengths, his
opponent saying with a smile:

"Well, I did push you a bit, Sheldon, but you left me a long way
behind for all that. I was scarcely second, you might say."

Herring had won a swimming match, but was beaten in running, Percival
coming a long way ahead in the footrace, to the great delight of the
boys from the Hilltop camp.

Jack had noticed Margaret and Mr. and Mrs. Van der Donk on the club
house balcony, and heard with considerable pleasure her cheers of
delight, and saw her wave the Hilltop colors frantically when he won
the race with his boat, and could not help feeling a certain amount
of pride.

Later when he and Percival and a number of the boys went up on the
balcony to receive their prizes and accept the congratulations of
their friends, Margaret, who was seated with some distinguished-looking
strangers, said to the boy after congratulating him on his victory:

"Have you learned any more about the watch, Mr. Sheldon?"

"I have not found an owner yet," Jack replied, "and I don't know what
to do with it. It is altogether too costly an article for me to
wear, besides being a lady's watch, and my mother would feel that
it was too much of a task to live up to it. However, I may find
the owner yet."

One of the ladies with Margaret seemed greatly interested, and she
now turned to Jack, and asked:

"What is the watch that you speak of? One that you found?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Jack, "and in a very strange manner. It was
the night of the fire at Miss Van der Donk's. When I got back to
the camp I found it in my pocket without knowing how it came there.
It does not belong to Miss Margaret nor to any of the family, and
they are as puzzled to know how I found it as I am myself. It was
stolen I now know, but I do not know to whom it belongs."

"You know it was stolen?"

"Yes, I overheard a man tell the nurse at Miss Van der Donk's that
he had stolen it. He gave it to her, in fact, and she lost it or
threw it away, perhaps, fearing that it would make trouble."

"Why, you never told me that!" exclaimed Margaret in great astonishment.
"When did you learn all this?"

"The day after the fire. Dick and I went to