ch about the disputed property. And her
manner had been, in a way, rather threatening. It was too unusual to
have been accidental, at any rate.

But Freda had reached home in safety. The motor girls were glad of
that, but they were all suffering from a bad case of nerves, though,
so far, Bess and Belle had been the only ones to admit it openly.

"I wouldn't take any of that bromide, if I were you, Bess," said Cora,
as she straightened out some of the things in the living room. The
usually homelike apartment had taken on a most woebegone appearance
since the previous night. Everyone had left everything just where she
had happened to let it fall.

"But I've got to do something!" declared the plump twin. "My hand
shakes--see, I can't hold it still," and in proof she held it out.

"It does shake," spoke Marita, in an awed whisper. "Maybe she had
better have a doctor."

"Doctor! Nonsense!" laughed Belle. "Her hand trembles because she had
her arm up so long this morning, trying to do her hair up that new
way. Sit down, Bess, and you'll be all right in a few minutes."

"But I can't sit still, that's the trouble. I'm so nervous!" and Bess
hastily arose from a chair in which she had seated herself, and began
pacing up and down the broad bungalow porch.

"I have an idea!" exclaimed Cora.

"Don't let it die of lonesomeness," suggested Belle, with a laugh.
"Think up another and have a pair of ideas."

"I will," replied Cora, promptly. "I think if we go out for a little
spin in the boat it will do us all good. It's a lovely day--too lovely
to let our nerves get the best of us. What do you say?"

"I'll do anything rather than sit here and think of what might have
happened," sighed Bess.

"Oh, you're taking it entirely too seriously," put in Lottie, as she
used a buffer on her already pink and polished nails. "What could have
happened?"

"Why, they might have taken Freda away!"

"Who would?"

"Those persons--men or women--or both--who are trying to get
possession of the Lewis property. And, in a way, we might have been
involved," went on Bess.

"I don't see how," observed Cora.

"Why, we've given advice to Freda and her mother, and if things went
wrong some persons might say we had an object in it."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Belle. "You've surely got a case of nerves, all
right. Come on, let's do as Cora says and take a trip on the water."
She got out of the hammock--Belle could accomplish this difficult feat
more