w trinkets and a little food! And I thought he was stealing,"
she reproached herself.

Her first instinct was to attempt to call him back. "But," she told
herself, "my voice would not carry far in that dense woods. Besides,
he wouldn't understand me and would only be frightened."

Returning to her tent, she hid the strange bit of jewelry, which, to
its wearer, had doubtless been a charm, then waited the end of her
watch to tell of the strange occurrence to her cousin. When Marian
awoke Lucile told her story.

Together, in that early hour of the morning, they exclaimed over the
rare treasure that had come into their hands; together agreed that,
somehow, it must be returned to the original owner, and at last, after
much talk on the subject, agreed that, on the whole, the departure of
the brown boy reduced the possible complications to a considerable
degree.

Next day their aunt arrived and with her a school-teacher friend. With
their forces increased by two the girls were not afraid to maintain
their camp. In fear of the return of the robbers they established a
nightly watch. That this fear was not unfounded was proved by the
events of the third night of vigil. It was again in the early morning
when Marian was on guard, that heavy footsteps could be heard in the
underbrush about the camp.

She had left the tent flap open, commanding a view of the shore line.
The gasoline schooner lay high and dry on the sandy beach, within her
line of vision. This she watched carefully. A man who dared touch
that boat was in danger of his life, for a rifle lay across her knees
and, with the native hardihood of an Alaskan, she would not fail to
shoot quick and sure.

But the man did not approach the boat. He merely prowled about the
tents as if seeking information. Marian caught one glimpse of him over
the cooking tent. Though he was gone in an instant, she recognized him
as one of the men who had stolen their motorboat.

After a time his footsteps sounded far down the beach. Nothing more
was heard from him.

"Guess he was looking for the brown boy, but became satisfied that he
was not here," explained Marian next morning.

"Perhaps they'll let us alone after this," said Lucile.

This prophecy came to pass. After a few nights the vigil was dropped
and the remaining days on the island were given over to the pleasures
of camp life.

The discovery of a freshly abandoned fire on the beach some miles from
camp prov