t for fun. We've half an hour before we
really must go to the church."

"I don't care to go at all if that cake is gone," declared Faith,
crossly. "Mrs. Wardlaw will begin to think I am lying to get out of
helping with refreshments if I have to make excuses again tonight."

"But you're on the program," protested the smaller girls.

"I guess maybe we will find it somewhere," said Hope. "Come on and
help." And they scattered in their search for the missing loaf.

But, though they looked high and low, indoors and out, not a trace could
they find of it, except the clean, empty plate under the dishpan; and in
despair Peace climbed to her gatepost to ponder the question of whether
tramp and cake had disappeared together or whether some local agent was
the cause of its vanishing. "If it had been a nanimal," she said,
thoughtfully, "it would have knocked the dishpan off the bench and
broken the plate. It must have been a person. I'd think it was Hec
Abbott, only--mercy! What in the world is this? Money! Sure as I'm
alive!" Scrambling down from her perch, she raced for the house,
shouting, "Gail, Faith, look what I've found, hitched to the gatepost!"

The five sisters ran to meet her, and into Gail's hand she thrust a
crumpled, green scrap.

"Ten dollars!" gasped the astonished girl, examining the dingy bill with
excited curiosity. "Someone must have lost it--"

"And pinned it to the gatepost so's we could find it?" demanded Peace.
"Well, I guess not! Bet that tramp left it. He surely must be a prince.
What shall you do with it, Gail?"

"Show it to mother and ask her advice," promptly answered the oldest
girl, smiling down at the excited group of sisters; and they hurried
away to the house with the precious find--all but Peace.

A wild, daring thought had suddenly sprung into her active brain, and as
her sisters vanished within doors, she flew madly up the road through
the summer twilight towards the little village, clasping a shining half
dollar tightly in her fist. In a surprisingly short time she returned,
breathless but triumphant, bearing a huge paper sack in her arms, just
as an anxious group came around the corner of the house.

"Peace! Where have you been?" cried Gail in relief, as the panting form
flew in at the gate.

"We've been hunting all over the farm for you," added Faith, severely.

"Thought you might be searching for some more money," laughed Hope.

"What's in that big bag?" demanded Cherry.

"Ca