e."

Madge shook her head. "That wouldn't be fair," she said, setting her red
lips together obstinately. Captain Jules, she felt sure, would be easy to
manage. If he did any diving in the Delaware Bay within the next few
weeks, he must take her with him.

She wrote secretly to New York City to ask what a diver's suit would
cost. She was discouraged by the answer, but she did not give up hope.
She was also very careful not to let Miss Jenny Ann or Mrs. Curtis know
anything of the wild scheme that was evolving in her head.

Almost every day the girls saw Captain Jules. Either they went up the bay
to call on him, or he made a visit to the houseboat.

The old captain never invited the girls inside his house, but they had
great frolics in his tidy yard. The captain explained that his house was
not neat enough to be seen by young ladies, as it had only a man
housekeeper.

Even Mrs. Curtis became a little less prejudiced against Captain Jules.
She could not but confess that he was a fine old man, though she still
did not see why Madge was so much attracted by him. But the girl bided
her time. The four girls and their friends went off on long fishing trips
with Captain Jules. Sometimes Mrs. Curtis, Tom, and their guest, Philip
Holt, went with them. The enmity between Madge and Philip increased every
day, nor did Madge any longer make much effort to conceal her dislike for
him.

Philip Holt had a special reason for his dislike for Madge Morton. He had
come to Cape May with the idea of making Mrs. Curtis do an important
favor for him upon which his whole future depended. He feared that Madge,
who looked upon him as a hypocrite, would find out his true character,
tell her friend, and thus ruin his prospects.

A singular misfortune had befallen him. Who could have guessed that one
of the few people who knew his real history, Tania, the little street
child, would be picked up by the houseboat girls and brought to Cape May
for the summer? Tania must not be allowed to betray him. If she did, Mrs.
Curtis must not believe either Madge or Tania. The young man had to lay
his plans carefully, but he was a born hypocrite and he meant to
accomplish his end.

His first opportunity to further his cause came one morning when he and
Mrs. Curtis were sitting on the veranda of her summer cottage. Tom had
gone out sailing and was not expected back for several hours, so that
Philip believed that the coast was clear. He began by telling Mrs.