on informed her it was another
auction bargain that cost fifty cents. Being so expensive they put it on
the parlor mantel instead of using it.

Dodo yearned to possess an old afghan she saw on the settee of the suite
of furniture, but she feared to say so. Finally she summoned courage
enough to offer the lady a price for it that caused Mrs. Tomlinson a
failure about the heart.

"My goodness' sakes alive! That's ten times more'n the wool ever cost
when the thing was _new_. Take it! Take it, quick, ef you really mean
it!"

The girls laughed wildly, for Dodo took it quickly and paid the price
offered to the consternation of the sales-woman. "Well," gasped she, at
last, "you must have some family-past what has to do with knitted covers,
is all I can say to explain you!"

By the time the inspection of the house was over, Mrs. Fabian returned
with just such a brass pedestal banquet lamp as Mrs. Tomlinson had
secretly envied and long hoped for. Such joy and pleasure as she took in
selecting a clean crocheted mat to spread on the cold marble slab of the
center table, and then place thereon her vision come true, was worth all
the trouble Mrs. Fabian had had in finding the lamp at a second-hand shop
at Stamford; but later when that wise collector examined her old
candle-sticks and pitcher, she felt a hundred times repaid for the
lamp--as she truly was.

The merry collectors started home that afternoon, after enjoying the
picnic luncheon beside a brook in the woods back of Stamford, with their
hopes pitched high for future successes in collecting.

Mr. Dalken heard from Carl about the successful quest that day, and
telephoned to the Fabians, that evening. The Ashbys had hurried over when
they heard of the pieces secured at the farm-house, and were present when
Mr. Dalken questioned the girls all about their "find."

"Now we're dying to start again, Mr. Dalken, and hunt up other trophies,"
said Polly, in conclusion.

CHAPTER VII

A REVOLUTIONARY RELIC HUNT

So delighted were the amateur collectors with the result of their first
search for antiques, that they planned another trip a few days later.
Carl could not drive the car for them, as Mr. Dalken had invited a number
of business friends who were in New York for a few days to go out on Long
Island with him, for the day. He took the seven-passenger car and Carl
for the drive, so the girls had to be contented with the smaller car. But
neither Mr. Dalken nor Carl