Mollie, referring to Betty's last
remark. "History often repeats itself, you know."

Allen sighed as they started homeward. "We won't be able to come
anywhere near them now, fellows," he said. "They'll have suffrage
banners hung all over the house."

The girls laughed, for after all they _had_ won through Mollie, and the
taste of triumph was very sweet.

"Wasn't it grand!" cried Betty.

"The best ever!" returned Grace, as she popped a chocolate candy in her
mouth.

"I'd like another such race," said Mollie, wistfully.

CHAPTER XXIII

HIDDEN TREASURE

The week that followed the Outdoor Girls remembered as just one endless
round of fun. With the exception of two days, the weather was perfect.
They traveled over to town on the rickety ferryboat several times. They
took the cars out of the garage for short spins about the country, and
otherwise amused themselves.

Then, too, the fish in the unrivaled fishing pool proved just as
agreeable as they had on that first day, and provided many delicious
suppers for the young people. The only thing that served to mar their
pleasure was the continued reluctance of the mysterious cave to come to
light--it was as though the earth had opened and swallowed it up.

"I'm beginning to think it just never was," Grace remarked, as she
contentedly munched some chocolates that Frank had laid on her altar.
"Will is terribly worried about it. He thinks since he is in the secret
service that he ought to investigate it."

"How can he if there isn't anything to investigate?" asked Betty. And in
truth there seemed some reason in her query. "It makes me angry every
time I think of it."

"Yes, the fellows say Will even talks in his sleep about the cave," Amy
volunteered. "Probably they exaggerate, but I don't wonder he is all on
edge about it."

"And we have to leave so soon, too," Mollie commented. "We haven't much
more time to look for it."

"It doesn't seem possible we have to go back home in less than a week,"
sighed Amy. "I just hate to leave this place."

"To change the subject," said Betty, "I wonder what's keeping the boys.
Let's get the lunch and go to meet them."

The girls agreed, and Betty ran in to get the luncheon and tell Mrs.
Irving where they were going.

Before they had gone more than a hundred feet from the house they were
met by the boys, who seemed in a great hurry.

"Oh, did we keep you waiting?" Roy inquired anxiously, evidently
relieved to see th