Bess
followed her example.

The first part of their momentous journey had come to an end.

CHAPTER XVI

FUN AND NONSENSE

In her impatience Bess Harley thought she had never known a crowd to
move so slowly. Of course all the people on the train were getting out
at New York, for the simple reason that the train did not go any
farther.

At any other time the girls would have been tremendously pleased about
going to New York. But now, with the even more wonderful prospect of
Florida looming up, New York appealed to them simply as a means to an
end.

"It's that fat man at the end," hissed Bess in Nan's ear. "He's holding
up the whole procession. What's he talking about, anyway?"

"Sh-h," whispered Nan. "He may hear you. Are you sure you have
everything, honey?" she added, making a mental count of Bess's
belongings to make certain that her careless chum had left nothing
behind.

"For goodness' sake, Nan Sherwood, I wonder you don't have a record made
of that question and then turn it on every five minutes or so," said
Bess, whose temper was beginning to be ruffled by the delay. "That's
all I hear from morning to night. 'Are you sure you have everything?' I
think I'll try it on you and see how you like it."

"Oh, I'd love it," cried Nan, with such fervor that Bess looked at her
in surprise. "It's this bag," explained Nan, looking down at her own
handsome suitcase. "I'm certain it will be stolen or I'll lose it or
something before we can get to Florida."

"Well, it is an expensive suitcase," Bess admitted, as the fat man at
the front of the car finished his argument with the conductor and the
line of passengers moved slowly on toward the door. "But you never used
to lie awake at night worrying about it."

It was Nan's turn to look her amazement.

"It isn't the bag I'm worrying about, and you ought to know that," she
said in a low voice. "It's what is in the bag."

"Oh!" said Bess, suddenly remembering, "you mean those papers Mrs.
Bragley gave you? Well, I wouldn't worry about them," she added
carelessly. "I don't believe they are really worth anything, anyway."

"Oh, hush," Nan begged her as they stepped upon the platform and a man
turned to look at them curiously. "Please don't mention any names, Bess.
It might make trouble."

"Why, Nan Sherwood, how you talk!" cried Bess, turning to look
curiously at her chum. "You might really think those old papers were
worth something."

"I believe they ar