“Honest merit will assert itself whether it is in a tub or an ocean liner,” he remarked, as he accepted the trophy, a miniature washtub decorated with ribbons, whereupon there was another laugh, and Billy retired to dress himself.

There were other contests between the Hilltop boys alone, and the Rocky Hills alone, as well as between teams made up of both camps, the winners being about evenly divided and the best of good feeling prevailing.

In the final motor-boat race Jack Sheldon won by several lengths, his opponent saying with a smile: 

“Well, I did push you a bit, Sheldon, but you left me a long way behind for all that.  I was scarcely second, you might say.”

Herring had won a swimming match, but was beaten in running, Percival coming a long way ahead in the footrace, to the great delight of the boys from the Hilltop camp.

Jack had noticed Margaret and Mr. and Mrs. Van der Donk on the club house balcony, and heard with considerable pleasure her cheers of delight, and saw her wave the Hilltop colors frantically when he won the race with his boat, and could not help feeling a certain amount of pride.

Later when he and Percival and a number of the boys went up on the balcony to receive their prizes and accept the congratulations of their friends, Margaret, who was seated with some distinguished-looking strangers, said to the boy after congratulating him on his victory: 

“Have you learned any more about the watch, Mr. Sheldon?”

“I have not found an owner yet,” Jack replied, “and I don’t know what to do with it.  It is altogether too costly an article for me to wear, besides being a lady’s watch, and my mother would feel that it was too much of a task to live up to it.  However, I may find the owner yet.”

One of the ladies with Margaret seemed greatly interested, and she now turned to Jack, and asked: 

“What is the watch that you speak of?  One that you found?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Jack, “and in a very strange manner.  It was the night of the fire at Miss Van der Donk’s.  When I got back to the camp I found it in my pocket without knowing how it came there.  It does not belong to Miss Margaret nor to any of the family, and they are as puzzled to know how I found it as I am myself.  It was stolen I now know, but I do not know to whom it belongs.”

“You know it was stolen?”

“Yes, I overheard a man tell the nurse at Miss Van der Donk’s that he had stolen it.  He gave it to her, in fact, and she lost it or threw it away, perhaps, fearing that it would make trouble.”

“Why, you never told me that!” exclaimed Margaret in great astonishment.  “When did you learn all this?”

“The day after the fire.  Dick and I went to your house the night after to see if we could get anything out of the nurse, Gabrielle, but she had gone during that day.  I did not have a chance to tell you, and then your father came in and-----”