es in a row, each one
trying to make his the deepest. Mun Bun and Margy, each of whom had a
small shovel, also began to dig, though, of course, they could not
expect to dig as fast as the boys, nor make as deep holes.

"I'll sit on the sand and watch you," said Mrs. Bunker.

"Maybe we'll find a treasure," suggested Russ.

"What treasure?" asked George.

"Oh, before we came down here, when we were at our Aunt Jo's in Boston,"
Russ explained, "we knew a boy named Sammie Brown. His father dug up
some treasure on a desert island once. We thought maybe we could dig up
some here."

"But we didn't--not yet," added Laddie.

"And I don't guess we ever will," said Russ. "Only we make believe, lots
of times, that we're going to."

The three boys dug away and Mun Bun and Margy did the same, only more
slowly. Then along came Rose and Violet.

"What are you doing?" Violet asked, getting in her question first, as
usual.

"Digging holes," answered Russ.

"Seeing who can make the biggest," added George. "Mine's deeper than
yours!" he said to Russ.

"Yes, but mine's going to be bigger. I'm going to make a hole big enough
so I can stand down in it and dig. I'm going to make a regular well."

"I guess I will, too," decided George.

"So'll I," said Laddie.

"Well, if you come to water, don't fall in," advised Mrs. Bunker with a
laugh.

"You go get a shovel and dig, too," called Russ to Rose.

"No, I don't want to," said his sister. "I'll watch you."

My, how the sand was flying on the beach now! Russ, Laddie and George
were all digging as fast as they could with their shovels, each one
trying to make the biggest hole. Mun Bun and Margy dug also, but, though
they made a lot of sand fly, they did not always dig in the same place.
Instead of keeping to one hole they made three or four. But they had
just as much fun.

Suddenly Laddie, who had made a hole in which he could stand, it being
so deep that he was half hidden from sight in it, uttered a cry.

"What's the matter?" asked his mother. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Did you dig up a Sallie Growler?" asked Vi.

"Maybe it's a crab," said Mun Bun, and he dropped his shovel and started
for his mother.

"No, nothing like that," said Laddie. "Only--oh, goody--I guess I've
found the treasure!" he shouted.

"Treasure!" cried Russ. "What do you mean?"

"I guess I've found some gold in my hole!" went on Laddie. "Come and
look! It shines like anything!"

Russ and George