e, so he used this method."

Three cramped lines were penciled on the torn fragment of paper.

At wharf above camp.
Twelve steps below big rock.
In gunny sack three yards from shore.

Two pairs of puzzled eyes looked into each other.

"What can it mean?" India asked.

"I don't know, unless----"

"Unless what?"

"Can it be a direction for finding something?"

"But what? And why should it be hidden in his hat? Besides, he would
have no chance to put it in there after he was captured."

"Then perhaps it isn't a message to me at all."

"That's what we must find out. 'At wharf above camp.' That probably
means his fishing camp."

"What are you going to do, India?"

"I'm going to get Ned to help me find that gunny sack."

Moya found herself trembling. She did not know why. It was not doubt of
her reckless friend, but none the less she was in a panic.

"Do you think we'd better?"

Miss Kilmeny looked at her in surprise. In general nobody came to
decision more quickly than Moya.

"Of course. How else can we tell whether it is something he wants us to
do for him?"

"When shall we look?"

"The sooner the better--to-night," answered the other girl immediately.
"The wharf above the camp. It's not a quarter of an hour from here. I'll
not sleep till I know what he means."

"Lady Jim," Moya reminded her.

"She needn't know. She can't object if we take Ned and go fishing for an
hour."

Moya consulted her watch. "They'll be gathering for bridge pretty soon.
Let's go now. We can be back in time for supper."

"Get into your fishing togs. I'll get Ned and we'll meet you on the west
porch in a quarter of an hour."

Within the appointed time the three slipped away down the river bank
trail as silently as conspirators. The captain was rather inclined to
pooh-pooh the whole thing, but he was not at all sorry to share an
adventure that brought him into a closer relationship with Moya Dwight.

"Must be this wharf," India said presently, as a bulky shadow loomed out
of the darkness.

"Shouldn't wonder. Here's a big rock just below it. Didn't the paper say
something about a rock?" asked the captain.

"Twelve steps below big rock, it says."

The soldier paced off the distance. "What now?"

"Three yards from the shore," called his sister. "There should be a
gunny sack, whatever that is."

"Afraid he's spoofing us," Kilmeny said with a laugh as he moved out in
his waders against the current. "Here I