lley. "The poisoned
lake" lay in plain view. The girl pondered over the tragedy of which
the guide had told them. Such tragedies, such deeds of violence as he
had named, should have no place in a peaceful scene such as this,
thought Harriet.

"Harriet!" She turned her head to find Miss Elting sitting up with a
worried expression on her face.

"For pity's sake, come away from there! My nerves will not stand many
more such shocks as we had last night."

"Why, I am not afraid," answered Harriet.

"What are you doing there?"

"Watching Janus. He is down below. You ought to take a peep at him.
He looks so small and so funny."

"Thank you. I am well satisfied to take your word for it. Will you
please come away from there?"

"Certainly, if you wish it." Harriet got up promptly and walked back,
stepping over her companions, then sitting down beside the guardian.

"You are a brave little girl, Harriet, dear," said Miss Elting softly,
patting the brown head affectionately. "But don't you think you are
just a little bit foolhardy?"

"I--I hadn't thought about it," answered the girl, flushing. "I do not
mean to be."

"I know. You are thoughtless of your own peril. You know we must not
let anything happen to any of our party. We want to have other happy
summers in the open together; and, were anything serious to occur to
any member of our party, that would end it. Neither your parents nor
those of the other girls would permit them to go out again in this way.
Will you promise to be more careful in future?"

"I don't like to do that; I am afraid I might not keep my promise,"
admitted Harriet, hanging her head. "But I will promise to do the best
I can and not to take any more chances than I have to."

Jane awakened at this juncture and lay blinking at them for a moment,
after which she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Misses Owls. Have you two been croaking there all
night?"

"No, Jane, dear, we have not. We have been conversing for the past ten
or fifteen minutes. Previous to that time I was peeping over the edge
at Mr. Grubb, who is down there looking for Tommy's blanket. Still
farther back than that I was sound asleep. Miss Elting has been
reading me a lecture. It is your turn now."

Margery sat up at this juncture. She unrolled her blanket, flung it
aside, and, going to the wall, sank down against it, resting her still
heavy head in her hands.

"What's the matter with you, Mar