khaki costume looked golden in the
sunlight. The water was now silver.

Don had a fleeting impression that Tory intended to jump into one of
the canoes and disappear from sight.

Now and then she affected him curiously. He never knew what she
intended to do or say. She thought so quickly, moved so swiftly, and
he was stupid and slow.

At the present moment he was puzzled and troubled by her sudden look
of intense unhappiness. The instant before she had been arguing the
respective merits of the two camps and had appeared cheerful as usual.

"What is the matter, Tory? You are the most startling person! You
upset one," Teresa Peterson protested.

She glanced toward Donald and then toward Lance McClain for their
attention or approval.

Teresa was unlike the other Girl Scouts. She was extremely pretty with
dusky hair that curled about a low forehead and soft rose colored
cheeks. She gave one an impression of sweetness and yet one could not
be sure of her actual character. She seemed always anxious for
attention and the approval of other people. Several of the girls in
her Patrol felt that Teresa was unnecessarily self-conscious before a
masculine audience.

At this instant Tory Drew returned her glance. Her face showed
bewilderment.

"Why, Teresa, how can you ask what is troubling me? Is one of us
thinking any other thought? Of course we have had to talk of other
things, but nothing matters except what Dr. McClain may at this moment
be deciding about Kara. You know we all care for her more than any
other girl at camp. She has had so much more to contend with than the
rest of us even before this.

"She thought first of our camp in Beechwood Forest and we used to talk
of it when it did not seem a possibility. The day of her accident Kara
told me the past few weeks had been the happiest of her life."

Tory walked away from the others.

"I have been trying to keep my word and stay here with you until after
Dr. McClain had seen Kara. Now I cannot wait any longer. I am sure
something more dreadful than any of us realize has happened."

Margaret Hale rose and slipped her arm inside the other girl's.

"We will go back together. You are more nervous over Kara than need be
because of the strain of last night."

They moved on a few yards.

Coming out of the cabin they could see Dr. McClain, Miss Frean and
Sheila Mason. Dr. McClain, assisted by the two women, was bearing Kara
in his arms.

Before Margaret and Tory