uffing them into her bag.

"You had better get ready, Bess," she advised. "We shall reach
Jacksonville in a little while. We don't want to be left behind."

"I should say not!" said Bess vehemently. "I wouldn't stay on this old
boat another night after what happened this morning--not for anything. I
hope," she added, as she slammed her brush into her suitcase, "that we
sha'n't see any more of those horrid men after we once get on shore."

"I hope we sha'n't." Nan echoed the wish fervently, but in her heart she
was very sure that they had not seen the last of the tall, thin man and
his chubby companion.

That they were after the papers that had been entrusted to her care by
poor, confiding Sarah Bragley, she had little doubt. And the fact that
whoever these men were, they were desperately anxious to recover the
papers showing the widow's title to the tract of land in Florida,
fostered Nan's belief that the property must be of considerable value
and automatically strengthened her determination to hold on to the
papers at all cost.

She was so engrossed with her own thoughts that Bess had to speak to her
twice before she could bring her back to a realization of the present.

"Hurry up," she cried, handing Nan her suitcase and fairly pushing her
out on the deck. "From the noise everybody is making, I guess we're
there. For goodness' sake, Nan!" she exclaimed as her chum switched her
suitcase from one hand to the other, so that it would be between Bess
and herself, "don't bump that bag into me--especially right behind the
knees. You are apt to make me sit down suddenly."

"You couldn't. There's too much of a crowd," laughed Nan, then added in
a lower tone, while her eyes nervously searched the crowd about her:
"Please help me to look out for my bag, honey. I'm awfully afraid I
might lose it."

CHAPTER XX

THOSE MEN AGAIN

The two girls saw nothing more of the men who had played such a
mysterious part in their trip, and before they had started, with
hundreds of other gaily dressed people, down the gangplank of the
_Dorian_ they had almost forgotten their strange adventure.

Nor, under the circumstances, could this be wondered at. All about them
was the bustle and excitement that is always attendant upon going
ashore.

Every one was in hilarious holiday mood, and Nan and Bess would have
been queer indeed if they had not entered into the spirit of the day
with all their hearts.

"I just can't keep my