ould pay him a great deal of money besides.
At least, if we offered him a bribe he might be influenced to tell us
where poor Mollie is. However, there is no use in talking about money.
We'll have to do the best we can without it," finished Phil.

The two friends were walking disconsolately along the shore of the
island. Neither one of them was anxious to return to the shanty boat
for another interview with the slatternly woman who presided over it.

"Phil," Madge's eyes brightened, "if we need any money to help this
girl, I feel sure Mrs. Curtis will be glad to give it to us. She is
rich and generous, and Tom says she dearly loves to do things for those
who are in need. I should not mind in the least asking her help. She
is very fond of young girls."

"She is very fond of you, at any rate," returned Phyllis, with a
smothered sigh. "Sometimes I feel as though she wanted to take you
away from us for keeps."

Madge laughed. "What nonsense, Phil. Why should she wish to take me
away for 'keeps'?"

But Phyllis did not reply to the little captain's laughing question.

"Let's not go around to the shanty boat the way we did this morning.
Let us go back the opposite way, and then we shall have encircled the
whole island," planned Madge. "If Mollie is hidden anywhere, we might
happen to discover her."

The loneliness of their walk affected both Madge and Phyllis. There
were no houses on the island. It was visited in the autumn for duck
shooting, and in the summer was used as a camping ground for a few
fisher folk. The girls passed only one man in their entire journey.
He was lying under a tree, fast asleep. A hat covered his face. As
the two friends hurried by they did not seek to discover who the man
was. He was a rough-looking fellow, and they preferred not to awaken
him.

This time the deck of the shanty boat was deserted. It was noon. The
other members of the small shanty colony must have been out on the
water, for there was no one in sight.

The girls stood staring irresolutely at the boat. "I suppose the woman
is indoors fixing the luncheon. I can see the smoke coming through the
smokestack," declared Phil. "Shall we call to her, or just march
boldly aboard her old boat?"

"I don't know," hesitated Madge. "I don't believe we ought to mention
Mollie's note. We might get the child into more trouble."

Phyllis shook her head. "Well, then, you decide upon something. You
always plan things be