along," said Laura, drinking in

kling. "She said she wished she h

" said Vi inno

and her eyes bright with health and the love of life, "then she could have had a good time to-day instead of staying at home in a stuf

he dust flying all about them. "Just think-if we hadn't met her we wouldn't be

hink he was your

retorted. "Connie says that he adopts

added, with a nod. "He must be a d

become as much of a fixture as the island itself. Connie loved this uncle of hers, and had t

then, as they came to a path that led into the woods

riends? Do you, by any chance, rem

n in a queer little hut in the woods, where a tal

, but Billie stood staring at

ng of the girls, "nothing ever seems the same in the sunlight. The other ni

red to death," said Laura impatiently,

e else," Billie retorted. "But I would like to see that

what?" s

e on her forehead, "I was just wondering if w

d about it. "We were lost, weren't we? And whe

ideas, "would be to have one of us stand in the road and hold

em back," said Laura sarcasticall

ighed Billie. "He seemed so sad. I'm sure he

you nearly got your head

s eyes

who try to help," she said. "I feel awfully sorry

g. She put an arm about Billie's

ieve you would feel sorry for a snake that

scored a point. Laura looked as if she wanted to be mad fo

expected to have in town that afte

would go best with the dress with which the girdle was to be worn, the merits and beauties of a green one and a lavender one were discussed and compariso

aid Billie finally, picking up the pretty blue girdle

ed Laura. "I'll take that on

s Vi said dolefully, all their money was gone excep

their last purchases had been made when Billie

coming!" s

ight just as well have spent the rest of our m

hether you get anything you really need or wish

f not to spend?" asked Vi, making

ys came within s

I call luck!" excl

nice big check from Dad in just appreciation of his absent son! What do you girls s

ay!" was Billie's some

how does it come that you have a

demy, Captain Shelling cashed it fo

find one, too, when

, is it, sist

at last the girls decided that there was nothi

ink in the west and the supper hour at Three Towers Hall was rather early. As they s

d been surrounded by a mysterious halo since the adventure of the other

I'd just love to follow that path into the woods a little way. You don't

to be crazy we might as well be crazy with you. Come on, Vi, if we didn't g

into the woods. Laura followed, and after a mi

pped protesting and merely went along with her, which, as Billi

s account this time, though, for she had not the slig

to the forest as if she hoped to see the mysterious hut-although she knew as well as Laura and Vi that t

, with a patient sigh. "If you don't m

th a little chuckle: "You're luckier than I am, Laura. I feel

the path when a dark, bulky-looking object lying in a clump of

s beginning despairingly when sudd

n to pick up the bulky object which had caught he

rs cried, peering impati

e's album," f