e two
schools who preferred to skate; but Miss Reynolds remained in the
cabin. Mary Cox had had her lunch in the little stateroom, wrapped in
blankets and in the company of an oil-stove, for heat's sake. Now she
came out, re-dressed in her own clothes, which were somewhat mussed and
shrunken in appearance.

Helen ran to her at once to congratulate Mary on her escape. "And
wasn't it lucky Tom and Ruth were so near you?" she cried. "And dear
old Ruthie! she's quite a heroine; isn't she? And you must meet Tom."

"I shall be glad to meet and thank your brother, Helen," said The Fox,
rather crossly. "But I don't see what need there is to make a fuss
over Fielding. Your brother and Mr. Hargreaves pulled Mr. Steele and
me out or the lake."

Helen stepped back and her pretty face flushed. She had begun to see
Mary Cox in her true light. Certainly she was in no mood just then to
hear her chum disparaged. She looked around for Tom and Ruth; the
former was talking quietly with Miss Reynolds, but Ruth had slipped
away when The Fox came into the cabin.

Mary Cox walked unperturbed to the teacher and Tom and put out her hand
to the youth, thanking him very nicely for what he had done.

"Oh, you mustn't thank me more than the rest of them," urged Tom. "At
least, I did no more than Ruthie. By the way, where _is_ Ruthie?"

But Ruth Fielding had disappeared, and they did not see her again until
the call was given for the start home. Then she appeared from the
forward part of the boat, very pale and silent, and all the way to the
shore, skating between Tom and Helen, she had scarcely a word to say.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE SECRET

For there was the burden of a secret on Ruth Fielding's mind and heart.
She had slipped away when she saw The Fox appear in the outer cabin
and, walking forward, had been stopped suddenly in a cross gallery by a
firm touch upon her arm.

"Sh! Mademoiselle!"

Before she looked into the shadowy place she realized that it was the
harpist. His very presence so near her made Ruth shrink and tremble
for an instant. But then she recovered her self-possession and asked,
unshakenly:

"What do you want of me?"

"Ah, Mademoiselle! Kind Mademoiselle!" purred the great creature--and
Ruth knew well what his villainous smile must look like, although she
could not see it. "May the unfortunate vagabond musician speak a
single word into Mademoiselle's ear?"

"You have spoken several words int