a little while they
would have robbed him of all the profits of his invention."

"I'll finance it myself," said Richards, "and he can keep all of the
profit."

Bessie's father and mother were far too glad to get her back to want to
punish Ma Hoover, who was sincerely repentant. They could hardly find
words enough to thank Eleanor and Dolly for their friendship, and to
Charlie Jamieson their gratitude was unbounded.

But suddenly, even while the talk was at its height, there was a
diversion. Billy Trenwith, his clothes torn, his hands chafed and
bleeding, appeared on the dock.

"Good Heavens, Billy, I'd forgotten all about you!" said Charlie. "Where
have you been?"

"How can you speak to him as a friend after the way he betrayed us?"
asked Eleanor, indignantly, and Billy winced. But Charlie laughed
happily.

"He didn't betray you," said he. "I cooked up this whole thing, just to
catch Holmes red-handed, and he walked right into the trap. I told Billy
not to tell you, because I wanted you to act so that Holmes wouldn't
know it was a trick."

"He didn't trust me, though," said Billy, ruefully. "As soon as he had
the girls, he tied me up and chucked me into his cellar so that I
couldn't change my mind, he said. That's why I didn't meet you at the
fort."

Eleanor, shamefaced and miserable, looked at him. Then, with tears in
her eyes, she held out her hand to him.

"Can you ever forgive me?" she asked.

"You bet I can!" he shouted. "Why, you were meant to think just what you
did! There's nothing to forgive!"

"I ought to have known you couldn't do a mean, treacherous thing," she
said.

"All's well that ends well," said Charlie, gaily. "Now as to your
brother, Mrs. Richards? I don't suppose you want him arrested?"

"No--oh, no!" said she, looking at Holmes contemptuously.

"Then, if you'll withdraw the charge of kidnapping, Eleanor, he can go."

And the next moment Holmes, free but disgraced, slunk away, and out of
the lives of those he had so cruelly wronged.

* * * * *

Sunset of that day found them all back at Plum Beach, where the Camp
Fire Girls, who had been almost frantic at their long absence, greeted
them with delight. The story of Bessie's restoration to her parents, and
of the good fortune that was soon to be Zara's, seemed to delight the
other girls as much as if they themselves were the lucky ones, and
Gladys Cooper, completely restored to health, w