Curtis did not
regard Philip Holt's withdrawal as of any importance, she gave very
little thought to it.

Madge Morton, however, had a different idea. She laid Tania's
disappearance at Philip Holt's door. She, therefore, determined to take
Tom Curtis into her confidence, but to ask him not to betray their
suspicions of Philip Holt to Mrs. Curtis until they had better proof of
the young man's guilt. Madge had never told even Tom that she had once
overheard Philip Holt reveal his real identity, nor how much she had
guessed of the young man's true character from Tania's unconscious and
frightened reports of him.

Tom at first was indignant with Madge, not because she and the other
girls believed that Philip Holt had stolen both their little friend and
their new-found wealth, but because she had not sooner shared her
suspicion of his mother's guest with him. Tom had never liked Philip, so
it was easy for him to think the worst of the goody-goody young man.

Without a word to Mrs. Curtis, Tom and the houseboat girls set to work to
trace Philip Holt, believing that once he was overtaken Tania and the
stolen treasure would be accounted for.

It was not easy work. Philip Holt had not been a hypocrite all his life
without knowing how to play the game of deception. A detective sent to
New York City to talk to old Sal had nothing worth while to report. The
woman declared positively that Philip was no connection of hers; that she
had neither seen nor heard of the young man lately. As for Tania, Sal had
truly not set eyes on her from the day that Madge had taken the little
one under her protection.

Philip Holt knew well enough that his mother would be questioned about
his disappearance. He believed that Tania had told Madge his true
history. So old Sal was prepared with her story when the detective
interviewed her. Yet it was curious that the Cape May police were unable
to find out in what manner the young man had left the town. Inquiries at
the railroad stations, livery stables, and garages gave no clue to him.

The houseboat girls were in despair. Madge neither ate nor slept. She
felt particularly responsible for Tania, as the child had been her
special charge and protege. Madge had been deeply grieved when her
friend, David Brewster, had been falsely accused of a crime in their
previous houseboat holiday, when they had spent a part of their time with
Mr. and Mrs. Preston in Virginia; but that sorrow was as nothing to this,