visit to Kitty at the hospital had to be
made early, according to promise. Louise and Margaret were to go, and
the other scouts, especially Julia and Grace, were going in the car as
far as the village, to be picked up there by the girl's car on the way
back.

They found the patient dressed, and being forcibly detained, as the
nurse put it. In fact, Kitty had been dressed since day break, and
nothing short of force did detain her.

"Good thing you come now," she greeted Margaret. "Oh, there's my
life-saver. Hello, McGinty, how's the water to-day? I don't want to test
it though," she shook her cropped head, and the girls noticed how much
better that hair looked since its salt water shampoo.

"Don't hurry so, Kitty. You have plenty of time. Uncle Pete said he
would be over at the landing at ten o'clock, and it's only nine now."
Louise told her.

"No matter what time," she retorted, "it's next year to me. This place
is haunted sure. I was fishin' with ghosts all night."

"That was your bromide," Margaret assured her. "You were so excited and
hysterical you simply had to be quieted down. Do you feel all right?"

"Don't know as I feel at all," Kitty answered, jerking herself up to
make sure she had not grown fins. "I never want to read that Jonah story
again. But I knew it! I knew it!" and she chewed her lips in repressed
bitterness.

"Knew what?" Louise asked.

"That the old monster ocean would try to swallow me," she replied.
"Didn't I tell you I would never go on that water after what it done to
me? But I did want to see that wig waggin' and I went out because--"

She stopped, and the sharp little black eyes were glistening.

"I know, Kitty. You wanted to see us beat the boys, didn't you?" asked
Louise. "Well, we did it, and maybe if you hadn't--got spilled, I
couldn't have won on the signalling. You see, the life boat was out
there watching, and they caught my message, and just shot in--lucky for
you and me."

"If I knowed Captain Dave's men were out there, I wouldn't have been so
scared to death," Kitty said. "But anyhow, I'm goin' home," and she made
for the door. "Good-by, nurse, you've been real good to me. I like your
cookin' first rate, and I'll fetch you the first mess of clams I dig,"
she offered.

The nurse was amused and interested. Kitty had given her a new line on
patients. From the time her wet clothes had been taken from her, Kitty
had threatened to go out on the fire escape in the hospital r