drive the bargain,
which he did with so much spirit that the coveted boat was at last made
over to him at his price, fifty dollars.

For the rest of the day the four girls spent their time interviewing
carpenters and painters. At last they found a man who promised to
deliver the boat, rebuilt according to Madge's idea, at a little town
several miles farther down the bay. The man owned a motor boat. He
was to take the houseboat to a landing, where the girls could load it
with the necessary supplies, and then to tow them farther down the bay,
until they found the ideal place for their summer holiday.

"I declare, Madge, dear, I was never so tired, nor so happy in my
life," declared Eleanor Butler late that afternoon, as the quartette
were on their way back to their school at Harborpoint. "I can see our
houseboat, now, as plainly as anything. At first, Lillian and I
couldn't quite believe in your idea."

Madge had heard Eleanor's comments but vaguely. She was doing a sum in
mental arithmetic. "Fifty dollars for the old shanty boat,
seventy-five for remodeling it, fifteen to the man for towing." Here
she became confused. But she still knew there was quite a large sum of
money left for buying the little furniture they needed and their store
of provisions.

Phyllis Alden, too, had been busy calculating. "I think we can do it,
Madge," she said, leaning over from the back seat to speak to her
friend.

"Of course we can. We shall have whole lots of money," announced Madge
triumphantly.

Phil shook her head. "I am afraid we won't. There is one thing we
must buy that will be expensive."

Lillian straightened up. She had been leaning against the back of the
seat, utterly worn out. The three girls gazed at Phil in
consternation. What was this new item of expense that threatened to
eat up their little capital?

"Don't keep us in suspense, Phil," laughed Eleanor. "What have we
forgotten to buy?"

"A kitchen stove!" cried Phil dramatically. "And I know they must be
awfully expensive."

"What a goose you are, Phil," said Lillian in a practical tone. "We
don't want a kitchen stove. It would take up too much room. We need
an oil stove or something like that."

"Then I appoint you as a special committee to look into the stove
question, Lillian," laughed Madge.

"I accept the appointment," bowed Lillian, "and I won't waste our
capital on kitchen ranges of elephantine proportions, either."

During the