ut jeopardizing Kitty's interests? She begged us not to
go over there."

"I know, Cleo, but I have a plan. You and I can go to the Point. We will
ask Tommie Johnston to row us over. He would not be busy so early, and a
row boat doesn't make any noise. Then, we can go over to the island, and
just feel our way around."

"Splendid," agreed Cleo. "I'll be ready in a jiffy. Are you ready?"

"Just have to tell Benny I'm going up the river," replied Grace. "We can
easily be back in an hour."

Tommie Johnston could go, and was glad to give the girls a sail in his
freshly-painted boat, but he wagged his head seriously when Cleo said
she had a message for Kitty, and was going to take it straight over to
the island.

"Miss Morehouse is over there," he said in warning, "I saw her sailin'
around in her hospital clothes yesterday."

"We don't mind. Is she Aunt Hannah?" Cleo asked.

"Yes, that's the dame. Miss Hannah Morehouse, boss of Looney Land,"
replied Tommie, "and you've got a lot of nerve to trespass on her
territory. She's mighty strict."

"We are going to try it," insisted Grace, whereat Tommie pulled harder
than ever on his oars.

They stopped at the Point but everything was quiet there, if the wildest
chirping of birds, and fluttering of all feathered creatures be
overlooked. Before the human world moves birds seem happiest, and surely
wildest, so that on the dewy summer morning, Grace and Cleo stepped onto
the Point and into a perfect medley of bird language.

"No one around here," commented Cleo. "Don't let us waste time."

They hurried back to Tommie's boat, just in time to see a launch cut by.
In it was the white duck woman, Miss Hannah Morehouse.

"There she goes," said Tommie, with abroad and noisy grin. "You're in
luck."

"And we are glad of it," admitted Cleo, popping into the boat.

"Which side shall we land at?" asked the boat man, as they brushed the
sandy shore.

"We don't know," answered Cleo. "Which way do you think is best? We
would like to get on a quiet end, not near the cottages, if there are
any?" said Grace.

"Don't know much about it," said Tommie. "But I guess the far end is
best--over by the Cave of the Winds," he finished, pointing his boat
toward the rocky arch on the far side of the little island.

The two scouts stepped cautiously ashore. That end of the island was
banked with huge rocks that shot up almost straight, forming a natural
fort, with the rugged, artistic arch at i