y were all that he could carry. "Here, Trent, you take one of these,"
he ordered. "I'll take the other and, armed with proof like this, we
ought to be able to convince even those skeptical people on shore." Then
he added, turning to Will: "If you will keep watch for another hour we
will be back with more men to relieve you."

Will readily promised, and once more the young folks were left alone.

"You people don't have to stay just because I do," said Will, meaning to
be generous. "You can go home, or go in swimming, or anything else to
amuse yourselves you wish, while I do the sentry act."

"Go home!" Mollie cried indignantly. "Why, how can you think of such a
thing, Will, when you know how interested we all are? I, for one, can't
do anything but wait."

"Nor I," said Grace. "They may be able to find your mother's silver,
Mollie, but I'm afraid our poor dear Beauty is gone forever."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Betty argued cheerfully. "Just because they
didn't sew him up in a bag and stick him in a gloomy old cave is no
reason why we can't find him. We may come across him any time."

"Well, maybe," sighed Grace, and her tone was anything but optimistic.

The friendly sheriff had set an hour for the time of his absence, but
long before the hour had sped he returned, bringing with him six other
men and a small hand-cart.

"I don't see how you managed to get it through the woods," said Allen,
referring to the hand-cart.

"Oh, we stuck to the shore most of the time," said Mr. Mendall,
cheerily, "and the rest of the way there are pretty broad paths. Now for
the clearing up," and he led his half dozen followers after him into the
cave.

They made several trips until the crazy cart was heaped high with
veritable treasure bags.

"Oh, aren't you going to let us see what is in them now?" Betty
entreated, intense disappointment in her voice. "We are so anxious to
know."

"Sorry," said the big man kindly, "but I'll feel safer when this loot is
safely locked up on shore. We'll let you know exactly what's in them as
soon as we know ourselves," he promised.

"Nothing could be fairer than that," said Allen cheerfully. "I guess
since we've waited so long, we can afford to wait a little longer."

"It won't be much longer," Mr. Mendall responded. "We want you all to
know how grateful we are for this assistance. Without it we would
probably have been a long time getting to the bottom of things. As I
said before, you have r