shore," urged George.

Harriet shook her head.

"Thank you, but we will fight our own battles. If we find we are getting
the worst of it we will scream for you. That is, if you are able to see
us. You gentlemen are short-sighted at times. The very idea of your
hunting all over the lake for us when we were here fairly before your
eyes! Look out that you're not so careless as to lose us again. Remember
it will be the winning stroke for us."

Harriet's manner was so superbly disdainful, yet there was so much pity
in her tone, that the boys flushed painfully.

"You won't lose us again the same way--don't worry about that," George
Baker retorted, with some heat. "But when are you going for a ride in
the launch with us?"

"Why, I think we are ready now," smiled Miss Elting. "For one, I would
like very much to go to Wantagh, if you will be kind enough to take me
there. Harriet, I have changed my mind about remaining with the 'Red
Rover' and I shall accept your suggestion to leave you as watchman on
the 'Red Rover.'"

"By all means, Miss Elting," replied Harriet.

"I don't like to see you remaining alone," protested Hazel, as she
stepped, half-reluctantly, into the launch. "I know you'll be dreadfully
lonesome."

Harriet, however, was far from lonesome. It was really pleasant to be
all by herself for a little while.

When the launch reached Wantagh the girls promptly went shopping, with
the exception of Jane, who went to engage a rowboat, and Miss Elting, to
hunt up Dee Dickinson. It was an uncomfortable half hour for Dee, for
Miss Elting reported the loss of the rowboat and said very plainly to
him that she believed he understood the cause of the persecutions the
girls were undergoing. Still, Dee could not be made to talk freely. Miss
Elting left him, dissatisfied.

"That man knows the cause of our troubles, and he simply won't tell me,"
said the guardian indignantly to herself, as she walked away. "And just
a hint or two might enable us to save ourselves a good deal of
annoyance, and even protect us from real dangers. I wonder what it all
means."

She said nothing to the girls about having seen Dickinson, when finally
she joined them at the pier. The girls had filled every available space
in the boat with their purchases and the new dingy was fastened to the
stern. The run back in the late afternoon was a delightful one. When
they came in sight of the "Red Rover" they uttered cries of delight. The
"Red Rover" l