me heavy rubber bands in my grip. I always carry them
because they come in very handy sometimes."

"What can you do with them?" Estelle asked.

"What do you think?" Helen returned.

"I know," cried Ethel Zimmerman. "Make catapults with them."

"Good!" several of the girls exclaimed.

"The boys call them slingshots," said the Guardian.

"How do you make a slingshot?" Julietta inquired.

"I know," Marion announced. "You cut a forked stick, like the letter
'Y.' Then you tie two rubber bands to it, one to each fork. Between the
other ends of the bands you tie a little sack, or shallow pocket, made
of leather or strong cloth. You put a stone in this pocket and pull it
back, stretching the rubber bands, take aim, and let it fly."

"You must have had experience making those things," Katherine suggested.

"No, I never made one," Marion replied: "but I've watched my cousin
make them and shoot them, too. He was very skillful at it."

"Can you shoot a catapult?" Katherine inquired.

"I think I can," Marion answered.

"Good," said Katherine. "We'll make several, and those who can't throw
stones can use slingshots."

That was a very busy afternoon for this warlike group of girls. While
the luncheon dishes were being washed and put away, Katherine and Hazel
rowed the boat back to the Graham landing, thanked "Jimmie Junior" for
its use, accepted with solemn countenances his "high-C" "You're
welcome," and returned to their camp. Then the work of manufacturing
arms and ammunition, in anticipation of another midnight invasion,
began.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE GHOST.

Before the "preparedness program" of the afternoon was started, Miss
Ladd addressed the group of Camp Fire Girls thus, speaking in low tone,
of course, in order that she might not be overheard by any eavesdropper
who might be in hiding in the vicinity:

"Now, we want to do this thing right. How many of you feel that you can
throw a stone a considerable distance and accurately?"

Katherine, Helen, Marion and Violet held up their hands.

"How many of you would like to use catapults?" was the Guardian's next
question.

The hands of Harriet, Marie, Ethel, and Ruth went up promptly. A moment
later Estelle and Ernestine also put up theirs.

"I believe I could learn how," said Estelle.

"We don't want too much demonstration around here this afternoon," Miss
Ladd warned. "Everything must proceed quietly and as if nothing unusual
were taking place. How