as that?"

"He could write them for fun, couldn't he?" fired back the much
tantalized girl.

"Well, he could, of course, but how would he get the fun out of doing a
thing like that? No, we have to look either for a freak or a poor
neglected child. Now, True Treds, take your choice!" advised Louise.

"I choose the freak," decided Cleo. "Freaks are funny."

"And I take the chee-i-ld!" trilled Grace, "children need to be cared
for, and True Treds should help."

"Whatever will Captain Dave think when he hears we have been on the
forbidden ground?" asked Louise. "I care more for his opinion than for
anything else."

"Guess we all do," said Margaret seriously. "We wouldn't like him to
think we actually defied him."

"But wasn't it the most delicious joke," Grace reminded them. "When I
didn't die a sudden death as Neal called out 'Why, that's Luna Land!' I
will tell you girls, I am doomed to a ripe old age."

"Suppose we go right down now, and tell Captain Dave all about it?"
proposed Louise. "I shall feel better when the dark secret is off my
conscience."

"A wise plan," declared Margaret, "but I don't like these slippers for a
walk at this hour, too near bathing time. Anybody going in to-day?"

"Surely, but there's plenty of time yet," argued Grace. "All in favor of
a trip to Captain Dave's--run."

Along the grassy edge of Glimmer Lake it was only a short run to the
life saving station and, just as they hoped, the genial captain sat
outside, in his big, strong chair, smoking the faithful pipe.

"You can never guess where we have been, Captain?" Cleo began quickly,
as the girls were able to flock about.

"Oh, yes I can," he replied to their surprise. "You been over to the
island."

They were astonished. Who had told him in so short a time?

"How did you know?" asked Grace.

"Little bird," mumbled the captain. He did seem a trifle serious for
him.

"Not the carrier pigeon?" asked Louise. "And you don't mind, do you
Captain Dave?"

"We had no idea of going," Helen hurried to say, before the seaman could
answer.

"So you got stranded?" he asked, as usual bringing his helpless pipe
into play.

Then followed an account of the accident that ended in the precipitous
visit to Luna Land.

"But who told you about it, Captain?" asked Grace once more.

"Kitty," he replied simply.

"Kitty saw us!" Margaret gasped. The surprise intended for Captain Dave
had been diverted, it appeared.

"Yes, Kitty was the