For a moment George stared at the guardian in silence, then he said gravely, “Perhaps you think, Miss Elting, that one of us sneaked over here last night.  I’ll admit that we did play pirates, and got the worst of it, but none of our fellows left camp after we got back from that pirate trip.  There is something strange about this, and it looks to me as though you had a really malicious enemy.”

“That is what I think,” replied Harriet.  “You know, of course, of our previous experiences.  Some one is seeking to drive us away.  To me it is the work of a man who for some reason is our enemy.  I thought we had given him the slip, but he has found us again.”

“I will tell you what to do, ladies,” spoke up George after pondering the subject briefly.  “You had better run your boat right up on the shore at one end of our camp, where we can keep our eyes on you.  When you wish to move we will move with you.  In that way you will have no further trouble.”

“You boys wouldn’t be of any help to us,” interrupted Jane.

“Why not?” demanded Larry Goheen, bristling.

“Because you sleep too well.”

“I don’t believe I should dare to spend a night on that island,” said Harriet Burrell, regarding the shores of the Island of Delight with troubled eyes.

“Why not?” repeated Larry.

“There are strange things there,” said Harriet, pointing.  “Haven’t you seen them?”

“Good gracious, no,” answered Billy.  “What do you mean, Miss Burrell?”

“Ghosts!” answered Harriet, leaning toward their guests.  The boys fairly jumped at the words, then laughed heartily.

“There aren’t any such things,” scoffed George.  “Besides, if there were, do you think we men would be afraid of them?  I guess not.  I’d like to see the ghost that I would be afraid of.  You bring out your ghosts!  We’ll show you how quickly we will lay them.”

“Oh, I can’t bring them out,” murmured Harriet.  “I thought perhaps you had seen them.”

“Have you?” demanded Sam, turning on her sharply.

“Oh, don’t ask me,” begged Harriet, in such apparent distress that Sam did not question her further.

“What’s this that Harriet is telling you?” asked Miss Elting.

“She’s been seeing things, and thinks it queer that we have not, too,” answered George.  “I wish we might.  Then you don’t think you would like to run the boat ashore at the camp, so as to be where we can look after you?”

“I should not mind.  But the girls think they are able to take care of themselves, and I must say that I agree with them, George.  Don’t you think they are?” asked the guardian.

“They beat any boys I’ve ever seen.  But then, you see, there are a lot of us fellows, and then again, your enemies won’t be so bold when they know there are men around the premises,” declared George pompously.

Harriet turned her head away that they might not see her laughter.