estion, but upon being pressed by Neal and Dick, it was arranged
that all hands should take a flying trip out to the launch, and see
Royal presented to his mother.

Kitty objected--said she was afraid of the ocean, and made other
excuses, but when she finally realized that the little boy would be
taken off without her if she did not go, she at last consented.

"Another excursion," called out Cleo. "Come on girls, the more the
merrier," and chaperoned by Leonore, the party undertook that delightful
sight--seeing a millionaire's yacht.

A more dramatic picture than Kitty on that wonderful yacht can scarcely
be imagined. It was awe-inspiring to every one, but to this quaint,
picturesque little figure, it was nothing short of marvellous. Once
Royal saw the slender, dainty little woman, he called "Muzzer" there was
no longer any doubt as to the genuineness of the claim, in Kitty's mind.

"Yep," she said. "That's the lady he talked about, that's his mother."

"And to think I would have sailed away again without my baby, but for
you," said Mrs. Alton to Kitty. "How can I ever thank you?"

"I loved him, and we had good times," explained the girl, "but I would
never have been brave enough to get away from Aunt Hannah but for these
scouts. I'm going to be a Girl Scout as soon as I get in a higher
grade," she said emphatically.

It was quite a task to decide what to do with Kitty. They finally
arranged that the two young men, Neal and Dick, would run around to the
island, and brave the fury of Miss Hannah Morehouse, in a manner
calculated to quiet any possible objections on her part. In fact Royal's
father sent a very strong message, charging her with misusing the funds
given in her charge, to be expended for his little son.

"The whole proceeding is an outrage," declared the millionaire. "When
the doctor ordered a sea voyage for my wife, and said it would be
injurious to the child, this woman made plans to take the boy, live in
the open, and roll in the mud and so forth."

"She did that all right," broke in Kitty.

"It seemed feasible," he continued, "and while she said it would be
costly--that did not matter," turning to the group. "Why, I feel only
the brave fight of this child has saved him for us. And I am not sure
what course I shall pursue in dealing with Hannah Morehouse."

"Only Daddy!" begged the golden-haired boy, who clung to his mother,
"please don't let her come around here. She's too mean to Kitty and me,