ou
say so."

"No, indeed! We'll eat as we drive along, Carl," said Mrs. Fabian, then
turning to the girls, she told the tale[A] of the old pictures and what
she paid for them.

"Why!" gasped the wondering girls. "It can't be possible!"

At that, Mrs. Fabian produced the bill of sale and said: "I got this in
case there ever should be any dispute over the legality of this
negotiation. The two awful pictures we can give to some family along the
road, but the two precious ones we will cherish as if they were the
Koh-i-noor Diamond."

When the Ashbys and Mr. Fabian heard the story, and saw the validity of
the two pictures, they sat astounded. Mr. Fabian then said:

"Polly really ought to immortalize her name by presenting this missing
scroll to the Metropolitan Museum, but she can keep the letter and
newspaper. That ought to be worth the price she paid for the 'glass'."

"That's just what I'll do, Mr. Fabian. I would never feel happy if I
_kept_ a thing that is considered so rare, and has been sought for by the
Museum's collectors."

So Polly Brewster's name is to be found ticketed as the donor of the
twelfth valuable picture in that set.

-----
[Footnote A: True incident in author's experience.]

CHAPTER X

UNEXPECTED NEWS FROM PEBBLY PIT

The young collectors experienced the usual "red-tape" in offering the
rare picture to the Museum, and after the customary delays, it was
accepted with letters of thanks. Individual letters from several
officials were written to Polly and her friends, voicing the appreciation
of the men at being able to complete the series.

Shortly after this pleasing incident, the girls went out on another
excursion just across the Hudson, in New Jersey. They took the ferry at
One Hundred and Thirtieth Street, and after reaching Edgewater, drove
through the small towns nestling on the Hackensack, until they came to
the village of Hasbrouck Heights. All about this section are old, old
houses, and if you hunt keenly enough, you will find delightful odd bits
from Revolutionary days.

That evening, upon their return, the girls were eager to compare their
trophies of the day, but the maid came in with a day letter for Polly.
The others waited for her to read it, and as she read, her expression
changed perceptibly.

"Oh, oh! It's happened again!" cried she fearfully, as she finished the
letter.

"What! What has happened?" anxiously asked her companions, crowding about
her.

"Ano