er curls had long since come loose from the knot in which she
wore them, and her gown was sadly wrinkled.

Madge was in no mood for laughter. "You needn't make fun of me,
Phyllis Alden," she said reproachfully. "You are just as tattered and
torn as I. We do look like a couple of beggars. Your hair is not
down, but your collar is crumpled and your dress is almost as soiled as
mine."

"I look much worse than you do, Madge, I am sure of it," conceded Phil
cheerfully. "You see, I am not pretty to begin with." To this speech
Madge would not deign to reply. Phyllis laughed good-humoredly.
"Loyal little Madge, you won't acknowledge my lack of fatal beauty."
Then in a graver tone she added, "What do you think we had better do,
Madge?"

"Find out where we are and how far away the 'Merry Maid' is," returned
Madge decisively. "We must reach there to-night, Phil. Miss Jenny Ann
and the girls will believe something dreadful has happened to us."

The chums had walked to the end of the pier. Between them and the
nearest house lay a stretch of treacherous marsh. They paused
irresolutely, staring at the marsh with anxious eyes. "I am afraid we
shall get lost in the marsh if we try to find our way through it on a
dark night like this," faltered Phyllis.

Madge shook her head determinedly. "We must try to pass through it. I
don't like the looks of it any better than you do, but we can't stay
here all night, that is certain. Come on. Here goes."

Phyllis obediently followed her companion into the marsh, and then
began a never-to-be-forgotten walk. With each step they took the salt
water oozed up from the ground and covered their shoes. Madge felt her
way carefully. She was obliged to put one foot cautiously forth to see
if the earth ahead were firm enough to bear the weight of her body. On
she went, with Phyllis close behind her. In spite of the difficulty
the girls were plainly making headway. "Hurrah!" called Madge, "we are
almost out of this quagmire. There is dry land ahead!" With one long
leap she made the solid ground which stretched just ahead of her.
Phyllis was not so fortunate. She lunged blindly after Madge, struck
an unusually bad part of the marsh and sank knee deep in the soft mud.
With a terrified cry she began struggling to free herself, but the
harder she struggled the deeper she became imbedded in the marsh.

The moon was just coming up. Madge could faintly see what had happened
to her fr