harply. His chin hardened.

"Come down here where we won't be interrupted," he said, leading the way
to the wharf. "You'll have to give me a good reason for wanting the
money, Betty."

CHAPTER XIX

BOB'S SOLUTION

"If you wanted twenty-five dollars and I had it," said Betty
persuasively, "I'd give it to you without asking a solitary question."

Rob's lips twitched.

"But, Betty--" he began. Then--"Oh, do play fair," he urged. "You're
younger than I am. Uncle Dick expects me to look after you. Goodness
knows I don't want to pry into your affairs, but when you borrow fifteen
dollars and then want twenty-five the same week, what's a fellow to
think? If some one is borrowing from you, it's time to call a halt;
you're not fair to yourself."

Betty looked startled. How could Bob possibly guess so near the truth?
She began to think that the better part of wisdom was to confide in this
keen young man.

"Come on, Betty, tell me what you want it for, and you shall have twice
twenty-five," said Bob earnestly. "I've most of my allowance in the
school bank. It's all yours, if you'll let me have an inkling of the
reason you need money."

"Well," said Betty, slowly, "I didn't promise I wouldn't tell--only
that I wouldn't tell Bobby or Mrs. Eustice. It's Libbie who has to have
the money."

She sketched Libbie's story for him rapidly, Bob listening in silence. At
the end he asked a single question.

"Have you any of those notes asking for money?"

"Here's one." Betty thrust her hand into the pocket of her sweater and
pulled out the crumpled paper that Libbie had shaken out of the bottle
that morning.

"Were they all written on this same kind of paper?" asked Bob,
reading the note.

"Ye-s, that is, I think so," hesitated Betty. "I really haven't
noticed. Why?"

"Because I don't think any man wrote this," announced Bob confidently.
"I think some girl at school has done it, either as a joke or to
torment Libbie."

"But it's grown-up writing," protested Betty. "Though, come to think of
it, we don't know any of the girls' handwriting," she added thoughtfully.

"What girl would be likely to do it?" asked Bob. "Can you recall a
practical joker? This is copy book paper torn from an ordinary theme
book. Yes, I'll bet a cookie a girl wrote it."

"Ada Nansen or Ruth Gladys Royal might do it to plague Libbie," said
Betty slowly. "They don't like any of our crowd, and Libbie is so good
at French she turns Ada green