s feelings. It was one of the hardest things that the proud little
captain had ever been called upon to do. But a part of the crowd had
scattered. It was not possible to find them all and return their silver.
Tania was too puzzled and heart-broken to continue her errand long. She
did not understand why Madge had refused to take her gift, which she
thought she had fairly earned. Finally she could hold back her sobs no
longer. Dropping her few remaining nickels and dimes on the sand she
broke away from Madge's clasp and ran like a little wild creature away
from everyone.

Madge stopped for just a second among her friends before following
Tania.

"You see, Madge," remarked Mrs. Curtis coldly, "Tania is quite
impossible. I knew the child would get you into difficulties, and it is
just as I feared. She must be sent away at once."

But Madge shook her head with a decision that was unmistakable.

"No," she answered quietly, "Tania shall not be sent away. None of you
understand, and I can't explain it to you now, but Tania thought she was
doing something for Nellie and me. She was foolish, of course, and I will
see that she never does it again."

With her head held high, Madge hurried away in pursuit of her Fairy
Godmother.

CHAPTER XII

"THE ANCHORAGE"

Madge was alone in the "Water Witch," which had been mended and was as
good as new. She had just come from an interview with Mrs. Curtis, in
which she had tried to make her friend understand the reason for Tania's
behavior of the day before. Mrs. Curtis, however, would not take the
little captain's view of the matter. She dwelt on the fact that Tania had
slipped away from the houseboat without letting Eleanor know of it, and
that she was a naughty and disobedient child.

Madge also believed that Mrs. Curtis no longer loved her so dearly as in
the early days of their acquaintance. The young girl was sure that some
influence was being brought to bear to prejudice her friend against her.
But what could she do? Philip Holt was trying to destroy the affection
Mrs. Curtis felt for Madge in order to ingratiate himself. It looked as
though he were going to succeed. Madge was too proud to ask questions or
to accuse Philip Holt with deliberately trying to influence her friend
against her. Although she was only a young girl, she realized that love
does not amount to very much in this world unless it has faith and
sympathy behind it. So long as she had done nothing she k