ed to leave the room, the little
captain had seen the tips of his pointed ears. She had caught the
wild, almost animal gleam in his eyes. She recalled the midnight
visitor to their chaperon on the first night their houseboat had rested
at anchor. She remembered Miss Jenny Ann's curious behavior, and how
she had absolutely refused to give the name of her caller. All this
swept through Madge's mind and now she understood Miss Jenny Ann's
poverty, her reticence about her own affairs, her unhappiness when the
girls first knew her at school. Of course, this wicked brother was the
cause of their chaperon's difficulties. If they punished the boy, Miss
Jenny Ann must suffer more than he would. She had lately grown to be
as merry as any of the girls on board the "Merry Maid."

"O Mrs. Curtis!" exclaimed Madge, "please don't let Tom and Mr. Brown
take him off to jail. I think he _is_ our Miss Jenny Ann's brother. I
wouldn't have her find out the wicked things he has done for all the
money in the world." Madge was almost in tears as she made her plea to
Mrs. Curtis.

"Never mind, dear," replied Mrs. Curtis soothingly. "If the lad really
turns out to be your chaperon's brother, you are right; his behavior
must be kept a secret from her."

Mrs. Curtis, Mr. Brown and Tom afterward found the statement of the
wild boy to be true. He was really Miss Jones's brother. His parents
had died when he was a little boy, and his sister had sacrificed her
life's hopes to him. Yet her efforts had been in vain. He had always
been hard to control. In the last few years he had broken away from
all restraint. He had been concealed in the motor boat that first
towed the girls and their chaperon to their anchorage and had seen his
sister on the houseboat. His plan had been to get money from her.
When she told him that she had none to give him he had devoted his time
to tormenting the crew of the "Merry Maid" in order to be revenged on
his sister.

After long consultation it was decided not to send him to prison. Mrs.
Curtis gave him the money to sail for South Africa, after making him
promise to try to turn over a new leaf, and not to write to his sister
until he was safely out of the country. And so Miss Jenny Ann's ghost
was laid without her knowing it until some time afterward.

CHAPTER XXIII

"MOTHER"

Not one of the four girls closed her eyes during the long night
following the dinner given by Mrs. Curtis. Miss J