have "cr-r-umpled all up" if Jack had
called out.

We hardly breathed while Peter was getting into his boat and untying the
painter that had moored it to a bush. Even then we had to wait before
coming back to life, for he sat still a minute or two, with his hands
on the sculls, and looked our way, as if he were gazing at us. Of course
we knew we were safely concealed from sight, and that he was only
staring past trees and shrubbery at the dark, distant house. From that
point of view there wasn't a twinkle of light to be seen through a
blind; and if Jack and I hadn't taken the unusual whim into our heads to
motor over from home, Patty would have been in bed and perhaps fast
asleep for an hour.

I never realized before how hard it is, with the best intentions, to
keep utterly, absolutely still: except once when I was a little girl and
a nurse I had took me to a Quaker meeting. It was a silent one. I
thought something awful would be done to me if I moved; and I tell you I
could hear my _ribs creak_ when I breathed! So I could again now,
huddled behind the tree. And I thought I could hear Patty's hair curl.

When Peter had rowed away, and he and his boat had disappeared round the
Point, we all three drew a deep sigh of relief. Then we looked at each
other.

"Jiminy _Christmas_!" said I.

"Exactly!" said Jack.

Only Pat said nothing. Then she clasped her hands on an inspiration. "Do
you know what I think?" she exclaimed. "Yes--it _must_ be that! There is
nothing else which can explain. Mr. Storm is ver-ry sorry for us, Larry
and me, because once more we are in ruin. Not even Marcel can do us good
now! But if it were true about the tr-reasure of the Captain Kidd, it
would be ours. It would save me from--I mean, it would save us from all
the trouble we are in. Don't you see, Molly and Jack, that is it? He
went into the cave to search. If he would find the tr-reasure, he would
tell us we were rich."

While she was talking, explaining her theory, my mind worked fast. What
she said put an idea into my mind. It was different from her idea,
because I had a clue--when I came to think of it--that she didn't
possess. As it turned out, Jack's brain was working in the same
direction as mine, at the same moment. I guessed this, before he told
me, from what he said in answer to Pat.

"Perhaps you're right," he told her. "I'm afraid Storm must have been
disappointed, though, if he was looking for Captain Kidd's treasure to
give