, looking round
despairingly on the ever-widening circle of glistening wet that was
spreading through the grass.

"If we took away the mud that we put across the ditch, would not the
stream run down the ditch again as usual?" suggested John.

"Of course, we all know that! But who can get through the water to
clear it out?" cried Betty.

There was an anxious pause. Then suddenly in a tone of solemn
resolution Madge announced that she was once more ready to take the
post of danger.

"You will get your boots wet through, and catch cold," said Betty
nervously.

Without replying to this remonstrance Madge climbed down from the
Eagle's Nest. It was the work of a moment to remove not only her boots
but also her stockings. Then she plunged into the soaking grass, the
water splashing up round her bare feet at every step. It was a wet
job, and a dirty one, but Madge accomplished it safely, and Barton
never guessed next day how near he had been to finding the meadow
flooded.

CHAPTER XX.

DISPUTES.

The treasure-house in Eagle's Nest did not turn out quite such a happy
idea as was anticipated. For a few days after causing the ditch to
overflow the children rather avoided that part of the fields. It
seemed prudent not to give Barton any occasion to connect them in his
mind with the extra muddiness of the corner between Eagle's Nest and
the ditch. But when nearly a week had passed by without any awkward
inquiries being made, and it was considered safe to return to their old
haunts, an unpleasant surprise awaited them. Some of their
carefully-stored-away possessions were missing!

John's marbles could nowhere be found. This was a most unfortunate
fact; but when, after a hurried turning out of the contents of the
treasure-house, it became apparent that a pencil also belonging to John
was missing, there was a positive uproar. Betty had only lost an old
pocket-book with all the leaves torn out, and she was not even quite
sure that she had ever put it into the hole. Madge had lost nothing.

"I do say it's a shame!" shouted John positively, dancing about on the
platform of the Eagle's Nest with rage. "It's a horrid shame! All my
things are lost, and--"

"If you stamp so hard your foot will stick in the cracks of the floor,
like the dwarf in the fairy-story," interrupted Madge.

"Oh, it's all very well to laugh! Laugh away!" shouted John. "That's
just like you! Put in all your own things safely enoug