hy, of course not," replied Mrs. Lewis, briskly. "You must have some
older person with you."

It was plain, now that the girls had become accustomed to the lights,
that Freda and her mother had both been crying. Their eyes were red
and their cheeks swollen. Freda saw that the girls observed this.

"Yes, we have been weeping," she said, with an attempt at a smile. "It
seems as though we have new troubles daily."

"I am so sorry," Cora returned. "I wish we could help you."

"I am sure you have done so," replied Mrs. Lewis. "Freda has great
hopes that you girls will do for us what perhaps lawyers might not be
able to do." She hesitated and Freda went on:

"Those horrid men from the land company were here again this
afternoon. They say we have no right even to this little cottage."

"No right here!" exclaimed Cora. "I believe they are just trying to
get you to leave the place so that they can go on with their plans
without being watched."

"I never thought of that," replied Mrs. Lewis, as though the idea was
novel to her. "Then, indeed, they will have more trouble than
brow-beating to get us to leave Crystal Bay."

"I must hurry with my errand," said Cora. "I came to see if it would
be possible for you and Freda to lock up and come over with us
to-night. I am afraid those land sharks have our little place marked,
too, for they have been loitering around all day. I don't want to tell
the boys. They are hasty and so apt to resent any intrusion that would
worry us."

"Why should the men bother you?" asked Mrs. Lewis.

"I suppose because they know that Freda is a friend of ours," replied
Cora. "But don't worry about them bothering us, all we want is to be
able to meet them fairly. Of course if they knew we were alone at
night they might be mean enough to frighten us, and some of the girls
are rather timid."

"Indeed, we will lock up at once," declared Mrs. Lewis, "and go right
over with you. We have not many treasures now to be afraid of losing."

"Oh, that is splendid!" Cora cried. Freda immediately went about
fastening the windows and seeing to the general locking up, while Mrs.
Lewis hurried up stairs to pack a small bag. It seemed as though they
were ready almost instantly, much to the relief of Bess, who kept
wondering if the boys would remain at the bungalow with the girls
until her own and Cora's return.

"Now we are off," said Mrs. Lewis, looking back at her home with a
wistful sigh. She seemed to have a