The Secret of Steeple Rocks

eaming on the portable stove, which stood out under the trees, protected from a

joy it. Step into the tent and see what you think of that water color

tent. Then she came out to help. "It is lovely, Beth,

alled it a redstart. She is ever so much better, though rather weak after that headache. Her throat is a little raw, but she will e

a trip to Steeple Rocks. There doesn't seem to be anyt

at

a coming with Dalton by the little trail, now quite a path

safely reposing in our deposit box, where Jim says it had better stay. We are to refer Mr. Ives to him. This land never did belong to Mr. Ives. He sent me a little

and! Sarita, if your head wasn't shaky, we'd have a

ita?" Dalton inquired. "She

t was only a sick headache, I think. Beth's been doctoring me all day. My thr

that she does not

. Why not te

t Mr. Ives said and that we are trying to keep her from worry. I transacted some business about the building, and that w

y, Dal. I almost ha

ave, Leslie, to manage affairs

'll have a private confab later. What do you think? I w

speak of Beth. "We'd better let her have a little longer time to rest

m care shows your confidence in your natur

e was more nearly right than he thought. "Under these c

t overcome, but I think that I can mana

deeper wood into the clearing. Elizabeth, watching the soup, looked up, startled to see Dalton apparently in need of

y urged Dalton. "See this letter that I have for you? Don't

after supper," dryly returned Elizabeth

the clearing up after supper, and you shall have

d for her latest masterpiece, when she would happen to think

had a lovel

hen built a fire out on the rocks which overlooked bay and sea and there they toasted marshmallows and talked, Sarita wrapped like a mummy, as she declared, to keep he

supper. By the firelight the girls read again the letter from Mr. Lyon to Dalton. "Here

ve with a big camping outfit. Can such things be purchased near you? I believe that you ordered yours sent

ome, but Mary looked as if the mere suggestion of Maine breezes were refreshing. We are h

ear what Beth thinks, I

or you girls if our company comes before the shack in the woods gets finished. That will take longer. But I've ordered lumber for the Eyrie and it's going to back right up against the rocks. We are going to have a frame inside, then use the rocks around here

ed a wheelbarrow and a lot of things. J

es that you have marked, Dal, now th

om Steeple Rocks will be right over. I think that it might b

y. She wants to be with us as much as possible, Sarita. It was too pathetic. Imagine not being h

ake effect. "Good!" Sarita exclaimed,

dy, that is in some business or other with Mr. Ives, is there and her moth

e way of telling the f

is some mystery there. If we take Peggy into our society, Sarita, we are very likely to find out what it is, and anyhow the kiddie needs us, I t

ggested. "I'll be too busy for a while to take out the

may come over to 'help you with the building,' he said, when he deposited me

folks that want to get rid of us, or those that want us to stay,

built against the protecting rocks, in a natural "corner," where the rocks of the headland might form almost two walls. But Dalton explained that it woul

said Leslie. They turned into a favorite corner of the rocks, where they, could perch upon one and

ut there," said Sarita, "or standing sti

hich they could see the entire bay and its surrounding waters. Neither had said so, but each was

as eerie there, with the sound of the breakers, the faint noise of the little engine as it went farther away, the great dark headlands an

k, "but I imagine that it's just

ck," hastily

littering with stars. "If it were moonlight it would be different. But perhaps we'

the moving light. "Now they are there," she whispered to Sarita; "Come on, child, I'm going to see you to bed

t with yo

o have been more thoughtful. Come on, honey-ch

e while, moving carefully, with only an occasional flash of the flashlight, in order not to disturb Beth

rn, especially if, as she thought, they were engaged in rum-running. In consequence, she, too, undressed, slipping on her warm bathrobe and her rubber-soled tennis shoes for her little venture. She grew

nd that only twenty minutes had pas

s tent she heard his even breathing and had not the heart to waken him. Coming from the darkness of the tent, it did not seem so black

not taken them long to load, she thought. And a second surprise, though not so much of one, either, was to see the launch spee

gler. Perhaps he wasn't! Leslie laughed to herself at another idea. Mr. Ives was away. It might be that he himself was