he letters "U. S. S. S."

"What does it mean?" she asked.

"That's the secret," Will explained. "I have joined the United States
Secret Service, sister mine!"

"Secret Service!" repeated Grace. "What does it mean?"

"It means I'm out for smugglers, counterlaws. So beware!"

CHAPTER VII

THE STORM

For a moment or two the girls did not know whether or not to accept as
truth the statement Will had made in such a dramatic manner. Then his
sister Grace burst out with:

"Oh, Will, is it really true? Is that the secret you were going to tell
me?"

"That's the secret, Sis! Isn't it a good one, and didn't I keep it
well?"

"You certainly did, but I didn't expect it would be that. I thought it
would be about--about--er----"

She paused in some confusion.

"She thought it would be about a _girl_!" broke in Mollie. "Why wasn't
it, Will?"

"It may be yet. There are lady smugglers, you know!"

"Oh, nonsense!"

"Will Ford!"

"Is it really true?"

"I think he's just teasing us!"

Thus cried the girls in turn, Betty appealing to Allen in an aside to
know whether Will really had been appointed to a government position.

"Oh, yes, its true enough," Allen said, smiling indulgently.

And finally, after a little gale of laughter had subsided, Will managed
to make the girls, his sister included, understand, and believe that he
really was telling the truth. Then they inspected his badge, looked at a
sort of identifying card he carried in an inner pocket, and were
satisfied.

"But what does it all mean?" asked Grace. "I didn't know you were going
in for that sort of thing, Will! How did it happen? And are there any
smugglers around here?"

"Hist! Not a word! Sush! Take care!" hissed her brother, stepping about
with elaborate precautions on tiptoes, glancing rapidly from side to
side, while he flashed a pretended dark lantern, and Allen imitated the
low, shivery music of a Chinese orchestra.

"They may be here any minute!" chanted Will in dramatic tones. "Quick!
We must hide those diamonds. And then, gal, at the peril of your life,
you must give me those papers!" and he hissed after the manner of some
stage villains.

"Oh, quit your fooling and tell us!" demanded Grace. "Then we'll go for
a ride in your boat, and you can stop at the Point and get me some
chocolates, Will."

"Oh, I can, eh? Awfully kind, I'm sure."

"Do tell us about it," begged Amy.

"Ah, at least _you_ are sincere!" exclaimed Will