er dive.

"Oh, thave me!" wailed Tommy in a choking voice.

All this had happened without the boys understanding what was going on.
They had taken aboard their three companions and were pulling into the
shadow of the island with all speed. Miss Elting and Jane had run down
to the lower deck. The guardian cast a rope. Harriet and Tommy brushed
the rope aside and swam easily to the end of the boat, where Harriet
assisted Tommy up, afterwards being herself assisted aboard by Crazy
Jane. The two thoroughly soaked girls staggered into the cabin, where
Harriet sat down on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Miss Elting pulled down the shades and lighted the lamp. She stood
regarding her charges with a quizzical twinkle in her eyes.

"What a mess! What a mess," laughed Crazy Jane. "But we repelled the
boarders, didn't we, darlin'?"

"They won't try to play any tricks on us after this, I am sure," agreed
the guardian. "I'll warrant they are still wondering what happened to
them. But it was too bad. What a wetting they did get!"

"Too bad!" exploded Harriet.

"No. It served them right," interjected Hazel. "Why, they might have
frightened us to death."

"They will be at our feet to-morrow," giggled Jane. "Tommy, did you ever
have any one fall at your feet!"

"Yeth. You know Jake Thpooner? Well, he had a conniption fit, one day,
in the thtreet, and fell down right at my feet."

"You mean an epileptic fit. But you shouldn't joke about a serious
matter like that," rebuked Miss Elting.

"I wathn't joking. He did. It wath Buthter who laughed. I didn't. But
Buthter ith fat, you know. Fat folkth alwayth laugh when they
thhouldn't. They thhake all over when they laugh. I'm glad I'm not fat
like Buthter."

Margery's face was flushed and indignant. Her companions were laughing
merrily at her expense. Harriet had gotten up and was removing her wet
clothing. Miss Elting lifted Tommy, who also had sat down, and gave her
a gentle push toward the dressing room.

"Take off your wet clothes and get on your kimono. Girls, you may as
well prepare for bed, too. I don't believe we shall be troubled by
pirates again this night," said the guardian, with a merry twinkle in
her eyes. "You will not want to get up in the morning when you are
called. I fear we are losing too much sleep these nights."

While they were preparing for bed Miss Elting took a final look at the
camp of the Tramp Club. There was activity there, but not nearly so muc