" and she
pointed to one just leaving the shore of a little cove.

Several men had evidently just leaped into the craft which, because of
the shallow water, had to be shoved some distance out.

Then a strange thing happened. The men appeared to be surprised at the
sight of the girls--an unexpected sight, it would appear--for some of
them seemed anxious to put back, while others were urgent for keeping on
out into the bay.

"That's queer!" commented Betty.

"What?" asked Amy.

"Those men seem anxious to come back; at least, some of them do, and
others don't," went on Betty. "Look, they seem to be quarreling among
themselves!"

CHAPTER IX

THE BOX IN THE SAND

"Goodness!" cried Grace, shrinking back against Betty. "They are
fighting!"

"It does look so," responded the Little Captain. "One man seems to be
trying to jump overboard!"

It did so appear to the outdoor girls. The motor boat containing the
half-dozen rough-looking men was rapidly leaving the shore of the cove,
but one man in it seemed anxious to return to the beach. His companions
had forcibly to restrain him, as he seemed willing to leap into the
water, and swim back.

Confused shouts and cries came from the men in the boat, as though they
were of several opinions. Finally, however, the majority seemed to gain
their point, and the man who had appeared so excited quieted down.

But, as the boat gathered headway, this man, sitting in the stern, never
took his eyes from the four girls. He watched them until the craft was
so far out that his features could not be distinguished.

"Wasn't that odd?" demanded Amy, being the first to speak after the
little episode.

"It certainly was," agreed Betty.

"They seemed afraid--yes, actually afraid of us," put in Grace.

"And there wasn't the least need of it," laughed Mollie. "I wouldn't
have harmed one of those men--oh, for anything!"

"I guess not!" Amy declared. "I was all ready to run if they headed
their boat back this way."

"What in the world do you suppose was the matter?" asked Grace, as they
stood looking after the vanishing boat. The boys were no longer in
sight, being hidden from view behind a projecting point of land.

"Perhaps this is private grounds we are on," suggested Mollie, "and they
didn't like to see us trespassing."

"It couldn't have been that," Grace remarked. "Everyone walks along the
beach, and I believe no one is allowed to claim any land below high
water mark,