not
telling the truth.'

Marjorie looked very distressed, but saw she must make up her mind.

'Well, you come with me as far as the cottage,' she said; and the
entire party set off.

Arrived at the gate, Allan threw it open, and Marjorie walked up the
path and disappeared inside the cottage.

The others sat down on the heather and waited.

A long time seemed to pass, and then Marjorie reappeared looking very
subdued.

'All right, Marjorie?' inquired Allan.

Marjorie nodded without speaking, and others judged it best to refrain
from asking questions.

For some time they walked in silence, and then Tricksy quietly slipped
into the place next to Marjorie.

After a while, finding that the boys were out of earshot. Tricksy
sidled closer, and ventured to ask Marjorie very gently how Mrs.
Macdonnell had received the message.

'I--I--I--she was in bed,' said Marjorie, 'and I went to her, and it
was rather dark, and after I had asked how she was and all that,
I--I--I just told her. She never thought I was saying what wasn't
true, for she said "Thank God for that."'

Marjorie ended with a little tearless sob, and neither of the girls
could find anything to say for a little while.

When the boys came beside them again Tricksy walked on silently for a
little way, then she suddenly burst out--

'I don't care, but what's the use of a Compact if we can't do anything
to help Neil? There he is, in great danger, and Mrs. Macdonnell may
hear of it any day, and if she does it will kill her; and we haven't
done anything that's of any use.'

'What do you think we can do?' replied Reggie gruffly.

'Why, bustle about until we find out who stole the letters. Here we
are, and we find little bits of paper which ought to tell us something
if we had any sense, but we don't get further. Seven of us and we
can't help poor Neil when he is in trouble.'

Nobody seemed to have anything to say, and Tricksy burst out again--

'You say you know who was the real thief?'

'We think we do, Tricksy,' interposed Hamish; 'but we don't know for
certain.'

'Then why don't we make sure?'

'How would you do it, Tricksy?' asked Allan, while the others trudged
steadily onwards.

'Why, watch him wherever he goes; and we'd soon find out where he kept
the papers if he had taken them.'

There was no answer for a moment.

Then Allan said gravely, 'That wouldn't be honourable, Tricksy. We
must play fair, you know.'

'Honourable! Hono