est thing. She followed us all the
way from the village. We turned corners, and so did she; we hurried, and
she hurried, and when we stopped, she stopped. Isn't that too impudent
for words? I think we ought to report her," declared the indignant
Margaret.

"Report her for doing the things we do?" laughed Cleo. "Why, Margaret,
who would think you were a first class scout? I'm surprised," and the
girl's voice mimicked the severe tones of a prim elder.

"Just the same," Julia insisted, "I can't see why she should be allowed
to plague us and molest us in the streets." Julia was not quite sure
"molest" was the word, but it had an important sound and all the girls
seemed impressed by it.

"Aren't we special officers?" protested Grace. "Why shouldn't we do our
own--our own policing? Let's form ourselves into a squad, and track down
the culprit," and she rolled her tongue, as well as her eyes.

"Let us sit down and talk it over," suggested practical Margaret. "I'm
ready to drop from all the paces we made samples of to suit our
trailer."

"Where did she go?" asked Cleo.

"Ducked into a little shanty with a laundry sign on the fence," replied
Julia, "and we were so glad to be rid of her we just raced all the way
down B street."

"And look!" said Margaret. "There's our other hero. The boy with the
books. See, he is making for a quiet bench, and look! That's yellow
paper sticking out of his pocket. Let's watch him! Maybe he will get our
bottle letter."

But the studious boy with the books and papers made straight for the
bench, and finding a seat proceeded to read. He didn't even notice the
girls when they brushed past him.

CHAPTER VI

CRABS AND DISASTER

"ARE you perfectly sure it is safe?" asked Cleo. "Seeing the bottom here
doesn't mean we can see it all the way across."

"Why, you could walk across the river, really," replied Louise. "Even at
high tide it's not more than a big pond."

"Oh, do come on," begged Grace. "Think of catching crabs."

"But who knows how to row?" demanded the cautious Cleo.

"I do!" called Margaret. "I always rowed out in the pond at Flosston."

"And so do I," insisted Julia. "We go to Lake George sometimes, and I
have tried rowing in the smaller streams there."

"And I have always known how to row," replied Louise emphatically.

"That being the case I suppose I must make the crabbing party
unanimous," capitulated Cleo, "although I should not enjoy a spill out
here so ne