pen, they couldn't have done it."

Bessie had hard work getting through the tiny closet window, which had
been overlooked by the raiders, but she managed it somehow, and in a
moment she was outside. She first ran to the edge of the porch to look
around, and, to her anger and surprise, she saw a group of girls, all
in bathing suits, watching her and the house. At her appearance a
shout of laughter went up, and she recognized Dolly's friend, Gladys
Cooper, who was evidently a ringleader in the mischief.

Bessie was sorely tempted to reply, but she realized that she would
only be playing into their hand if she seemed to notice them at all,
and, going to the other side of the house so that they could not see
her, she examined the windows. But she decided very quickly that she
could do nothing without tools of some sort, and she had none to work
with.

Without any further hesitation, she slipped over the rail of the porch,
being still out of sight of the raiders, and went down the pillar,
which, being nothing more than a tree with its bark still clinging to
it, gave her an easy descent. Once on the ground, her task was easy.
She worked very quietly, and in a minute or two she had one of the
ground floor windows open. Eleanor Mercer, who had heard her at work,
was waiting for her.

"Oh, Miss Eleanor," said Bessie, tensely, "those girls are all around
at the other side of the house, watching. They laughed at me like
anything when they saw me, and I'm sure they think we'll have to get
the guide to let us out."

"Good," said Eleanor, snappily. "Do you think we can get behind them,
Bessie?"

"I'm sure we can, if we go out this way and go around through the
trees."

So bidding the other girls to stay behind for the moment, Eleanor
climbed out, and followed Bessie off the porch and around to the back
of the house. They swung around in a wide arc, moving quietly and
making as little noise as possible, until they heard laughter in front
of them. And a moment later they came around, and faced the astonished
raiders.

CHAPTER XIII

A PLAN OF REVENGE

Bessie had to laugh at the sight of Gladys Cooper's face when Dolly's
friend saw Miss Eleanor. It fell, and Gladys turned the color of a
beet. Evidently she had had no idea that Miss Mercer was with the Camp
Fire Girls.

"How do you do, Gladys?" said Eleanor, pleasantly. "Do you know that
you are trespassing?"

"The--the Worcesters gave us permission to