Campfire Girls at Twin Lakes

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"What kind of honor would you confer on me if I exhibited great skill in
spying on someone else?" asked Helen Nash in her usual cool and
deliberate manner.

A problematical smile lit up the faces of several of the girls who
caught the significance of this suggestion. Miss Ladd smiled, too, but
not so problematically.

"You mean to point out the incongruity of honors and spies, I presume,"
the Guardian interpreted, addressing Helen.

"Not very seriously," the latter replied with an expression of dry
humor. "I couldn't resist the temptation to ask the question and,
moreover, it occurred to me that a little discussion on the subject of
honors and spies might help to complete our study of the problem before
us."

"Do you mean that we are going to be spies?" Violet Munday questioned.

"Why, of course we are," Helen replied, with a half-twinkle in her eyes.

"I don't like the idea of spying on anybody and would rather call it
something else," said Marie Crismore. "First someone calls us detectives
and then somebody calls us spies. What next? Ugh!"

"Why don't you like to spy on anybody?" asked Harriet Newcomb.

"Well," Marie answered hesitatingly; "you know that there are thousands
of foreign spies in this country trying to help our enemies in Europe,
and I don't like to be classed with them."

"That's patriotic," said Helen, the twinkle in her eyes becoming
brighter. "But you must remember that there are spies and spies, good
spies and bad spies. All of our law-enforcement officials are spies in
their attempts to crush crime. Your mother was a spy when she watched
you as a little tot stealing into the pantry to poke your fist into the
jam. That is what Mrs. Hutchins suspects is taking place now. Someone
has got his or her fist in the jam. We must go and peek in through the
pantry door."

"Oh, if you put it that way, it'll be lots of fun," Marie
exclaimed eagerly. "I'd just like to catch 'em with their fists
all--all--smeared!"

She brought the last word out so ecstatically that everybody laughed.

"I'm afraid you have fallen into the pit that I warned you against,"
Miss Ladd said, addressing Marie. "You mustn't start out eager to prove
the persons, under suspicion, guilty."

"Then we must drive out of our minds the picture of the fists smeared
with jam," deplored Marie with a playful pout.

"I fear that you must," was the smiling concurrence of the Guardian.

"Very well; I'm a good soldier," said Marie, straightening up as if
ready to "shoulder arms." "I won't imagine any jam until I see it."

"Here comes Hazel," cried Julietta, and everybody looked in the
direction indicated.

Hazel Edwards had taken advantage of this occasion to go to her aunt's
house and thence to the city Red Cross headquarters for a new supply of
yarn for their army and navy knitting. As she emerged from the timber
and continued along the edge of the woods toward the site of the camp,
the assembled campers could see that she carried a good-sized bundle
under one arm.

"She's got some more yarn, and we can now take up our knitting again,"
said Ethel Zimmerman, who had proved herself to be the most rapid of all
the members of the Camp Fire with the needles.

Although the business of the meeting was finished, by tacit agreement
those present decided not to adjourn until Hazel arrived and received
official notice of what had been done.

"I'm delighted with your decision," Hazel said eagerly. "And, do you
know, I believe we are going to have some adventure. I've been talking
the matter over with Aunt Hannah and she has told me a lot of very
interesting things. But when do you want to go?"

"We haven't discussed that yet," Miss Ladd replied. "I suppose we could
go almost any time."

"Let's go at once," proposed Marion Stanlock. "We haven't anything to
keep us here and we can come back as soon as--as soon as we find the jam
on somebody's fist."

This figure of speech called for an explanation for Hazel's benefit.
Then Ruth Hazelton moved that the Camp Fire place itself at Mrs.
Hutchins' service to leave for Twin Lakes as soon as she thought best,
and this motion was carried unanimously.

"I move that Katherine Crane be appointed a committee of one to notify
Mrs. Hutchins of our action and get instructions from her for our next
move," said Violet Munday.

"Second the motion," said Azalia Atwood.

"Question!" shouted Harriet Newcomb.

"Those in favor say aye," said Miss Ladd.

A hearty chorus of "ayes" was the response.

"Contrary minded, no."

Silence.

"The ayes have it."

The meeting adjourned.

CHAPTER VI.

A TELEGRAM EN ROUTE.

At 9 o'clock in the morning two days later, a train of three coaches,
two sleepers and a parlor car, pulled out of Fairberry northwest bound.
It was a clear midsummer day, not oppressively warm. The atmosphere had
been freshened by a generous shower of rain a few hours before sunup.

In the parlor car near one end sat a group of thirteen girls and one
young woman. The latter, Miss Ladd, Guardian of Flamingo Camp Fire, we
will hereafter designate as "one of the girls." She was indeed scarcely
more than a girl, having passed her voting majority by less than a year.

The last two days had been devoted principally to preparations for this
trip. Mrs. Hutchins had engaged two men who struck the tents and packed
these and all the other camp paraphernalia and expressed the entire
outfit to Twin Lakes station. On the morning before us, Mrs. Hutchins
accompanied the fourteen girls to the train at the Fairberry depot and
bade them good-bye and wished them success in their enterprise.

There were few other passengers in the parlor car when the Camp Fire
Girls entered. One old gentleman obligingly moved forward from a seat at
the rear end, and the new passengers were able to occupy a section all
by themselves.

Before starting for the train, Miss Ladd called her little flock of
"spies" together and gave them a short lecture.

"Now, girls," she said with keen deliberation, "we are about to embark
on a venture that has in it elements which will put many of your
qualities to severe test. And these tests are going to begin right away.
Perhaps the first will be a test of your ability to hold your tongues.
That's pretty hard for a bevy of girls who like to talk better than
anything else, isn't it?"

"Do you really mean to accuse us of liking to talk better than anything
else?" inquired Marie Crismore, flushing prettily.

"I didn't say so, did I?" was the Guardian's answering query.

"Not exactly. But you meant it, didn't you?"

"I refuse to be pinned down to an answer," replied Miss Ladd, smiling
enigmatically. "I suspect that if I leave you something to guess about
on that subject it may sink in deeper. Now, can any of you surmise what
specifically I am driving at?"

Nobody ventured an answer, and Miss Ladd continued:

"Don't talk about our mission to Twin Lakes except on secret occasions.
Don't drop remarks now and then or here and there that may be overheard
and make someone listen for more. For instance, on the train, forget
that you are on anything except a mere pleasure trip or Camp Fire
excursion. Be absolutely certain that you don't drop any remarks that
might arouse anybody's curiosity or suspicion. It might, you know, get
to the very people whom we wish to keep in ignorance concerning our
moves and motives."

"I see you are bound to make sure enough spies out of us," said Marie
Crismore pertly. "Well, I'm going to start out with the determination of
pulling my hat down over my eyes, hiding in every shadow I see and
peeking around every corner I can get to. Oh, I'm going to be some
sleuth, believe me."

"What will you say when you catch somebody with jam on his fingers?"
Harriet Newcomb inquired.

Marie leaned forward eagerly and answered dramatically:

"I'll suddenly appear before the villain and shout: 'Halt, you are my
prisoner! Throw up your jammed hands!'"

After the laugh that greeted this response subsided, Miss Ladd closed
her lecture thus:

"I think you all appreciate the importance now of keeping your thoughts
to yourselves except when we are in conference. I'm glad to see you have
a lot of fun over this subject, but don't let your gay spirits cause you
to permit any unguarded remarks to escape."

On the train the girls all got out their knitting, and soon their
needles were plying merrily away on sleeveless sweaters, socks,
helmets, and wristlets for the boys at the front, timing their work by
their wrist watches for patriotism honors. True to their resolve,
following Miss Ladd's warning lecture, they kept the subject of their
mission out of their conversation, and it is probable that no reference
to it would have been made during the entire 300-mile journey if
something had not happened which forced it keenly to the attention of
every one of them.

The train on which they were traveling was a limited and the first stop
was fifty miles from Fairberry. A few moments after the train stopped, a
telegraph messenger walked into the front entrance of the parlor car and
called out:

"Telegram for Miss Harriet Ladd."

The latter arose and received the message, signed the receipt blank, and
tore open the envelope. Imagine her astonishment as she read the
following:

"Miss Harriet Ladd, parlor car, Pocahontas Limited: Attorney Pierce
Langford is on your train, first coach. Bought ticket for Twin Lakes.
Small man, squint eyes, smooth face. Watch out for him. Letter follows
telegram. Mrs. Hannah Hutchins."

CHAPTER VII.

A DOUBLE-ROOM MYSTERY.

Miss Ladd passed the telegram around among the girls after writing the
following explanation at the foot of the message:

"Pierce Langford is the Fairberry attorney that represented scheming
relatives of Mrs. Hutchins' late husband, who attempted to force money
out of her after the disappearance of the securities belonging to Glen
Irving's estate. Leave this matter to me and don't talk about it until
we reach Twin Lakes."

Nothing further was said about the incident during the rest of the
journey, as requested by Miss Ladd. The girls knitted, rested, chatted,
read, and wrote a few postcards or "train letters" to friends. But
although there was not a word of conversation among the Camp Fire
members relative to the passenger named in Mrs. Hutchins' telegram, yet
the subject was not absent from their minds much of the time.

They were being followed! No other construction could be put upon the
telegram. But for what purpose? What did the unscrupulous lawyer--that
was the way Mrs. Hutchins had once referred to Pierce Langford--have in
mind to do? Would he make trouble for them in any way that would place
them in an embarrassing position? These girls had had experiences in
the last year which were likely to make them apprehensive of almost
anything under such circumstances as these.

Warned of the presence on the train of a probable agent of the family
that Mrs. Hutchins had under suspicion, the girls were constantly on the
alert for some evidence of his interest in them and their movements. And
they were rewarded to this extent: In the course of the journey,
Langford paid the conductor the extra mileage for parlor car privileges,
and as he transferred from the coach, not one of the Flamingoites failed
to observe the fact that in personal appearance he answered strikingly
the description of the man referred to in the telegram received by Miss
Ladd.

The squint-eyed man of mystery, in the coolest and most nonchalant
manner, took a seat a short distance in front of the bevy of knitting
Camp Fire Girls, unfolded a newspaper and appeared to bury himself in
its contents, oblivious to all else about him.

Half an hour later he arose and left the car, passing out toward the
rear end of the train. Another half hour elapsed and he did not
reappear. Then Katherine Crane and Hazel Edwards put away their knitting
and announced that they were going back into the observation car and
look over the magazines. They did not communicate to each other their
real purpose in making this move, but neither had any doubt as to what
was going on in the mind of the other. Marie Crismore looked at them
with a little squint of intelligence and said as she arose from her
chair:

"I think I'll go, too, for a change."

But this is what she interpolated to herself:

"They're going back there to spy, and I think I'll go and spy, too."

They found Langford in the observation car, apparently asleep in a
chair. Katherine, who entered first, declared afterwards that she was
positive she saw him close his eyes like a flash and lapse into an
appearance of drowsiness, but if she was not in error, his subsequent
manner was a very clever simulation of midday slumber. Three or four
times in the course of the next hour he shifted his position and half
opened his eyes, but drooped back quickly into the most comfortable
appearance of somnolent lassitude.

The three girls were certain that all this was pure "make-believe," but
they did not communicate their conviction to each other by look or
suggestion of any kind. They played their part very well, and it is
quite possible that Langford, peeking through his eyewinkers, was
considerably puzzled by their manner. He had no reason to believe that
he was known to them by name or reputation, much less by personal
appearance.

It was in fact a game of spy on both sides during most of the journey,
with little but mystifying results. The train reached Twin Lakes at
about sundown, and even then the girls had discovered no positive
evidence as to the "squint-eyed man's" purpose in taking the trip they
were taking. And Langford, as he left the train, could not confidently
say to himself that he had detected any suggestion of interest on their
part because of his presence on the train.

Flamingo Camp Fire rode in an omnibus to the principal hotel in the
town, the Crandell house, and were assigned to rooms on the second
floor. They had had their supper on the train and proceeded at once to
prepare for a night's rest. Still no words were exchanged among them
relative to the purpose of their visit or the mysterious, squint-eyed
passenger concerning whom all of them felt an irrepressible curiosity
and not a little apprehension.

Miss Ladd occupied a room with Katherine Crane. After making a general
survey of the floor and noting the location of the rooms of the other
girls, they entered their own apartment and closed the door. Marie
Crismore and Julietta Hyde occupied the room immediately south of
theirs, but to none of them had the room immediately north been
assigned.

"I wonder if the next room north is occupied," Katherine remarked as she
took off her hat and laid it on a shelf in the closet.

"Someone is entering now," Miss Ladd whispered, lifting her hand with a
warning for low-toned conversation.

The exchange of a few indistinct words between two persons could be
heard; then one of them left, and the other was heard moving about in
the room.

"That's one of the hotel men who just brought a new guest up," Katherine
remarked.

"And I'm going to find out who it is," the Guardian declared in a low
tone, turning toward the door.

"I'll go with you," said Katherine, and together they went down to the
office.

They sought the register at once and began looking over the list of
arrivals. Presently Miss Ladd pointed with her finger the following
registration:

"Pierce Langford, Fairberry, Room 36."

Miss Ladd and Katherine occupied Room 35.

"Anything you wish, ladies?" asked the proprietor, who stood behind the
desk.

"Yes," Miss Ladd answered. "We want another room."

"I'll have to give you single rooms, if that one is not satisfactory,"
was the reply. "All my double rooms are filled."

"Isn't 36 a double room?" Katherine inquired.

"Yes, but it's occupied. I just sent a man up there."

"Excuse the question," Miss Ladd said curiously; "but why did you put
one person in a double room when it was the only double room you had and
there were vacant single rooms in the house?"

The hotel keeper smiled pleasantly, as if the question was the simplest
in the world to answer.

"Because he insisted on having it and paid me double rate in advance,"
was the landlord's startling reply.

CHAPTER VIII.

PLANNING IN SECRET.

Without a word of comment relative to this remarkable information, Miss
Ladd turned and started back upstairs, and Katherine followed. In the
hall at the upper landing, the Guardian whispered thus in the ear of her
roommate:

"Sh! Don't say a word or commit an act that could arouse suspicion. He's
probably listening, or looking, or both. Just forget this subject and
talk about the new middy-blouse you are making, or something like that.
Don't gush, either, or he may suspect your motive. We want to throw him
off the track if possible."

But Katherine preferred to say little, for she was tired, and made haste
to get into bed. It was not long before the subject of their plans and
problems and visions of spies and "jam-stained fists" were lost in the
lethe of dreamland.

They were awakened in the morning by the first breakfast bell and arose
at once. They dressed hurriedly and went at once to the dining-room,
where they found two of the girls ahead of them. The others appeared
presently.

As the second bell rang, Pierce Langford sauntered into the room and
took a seat near the table occupied by Helen Nash and Violet Munday. He
looked about him in a half-vacant inconsequential way and then began to
"jolly" the waitress, who approached and sung off a string of alternates
on the "Hooverized" bill of fare which she carried in her mind. She
coldly ignored his "jollies," for it was difficult for Langford to be
pleasing even when he tried to be pleasant, took his order, and
proceeded on her way.

The girls paid no further attention to the supposed spy-lawyer during
breakfast, and the latter appeared to pay no further attention to them.
After the meal, Miss Ladd called the girls together and suggested that
they take a walk. Then she dismissed them to prepare. Twenty minutes
later they reassembled, clad in khaki middy suits, brown sailor hats,
and hiking shoes, and the walk was begun along a path that led down a
wooded hill behind the hotel and toward the nearest lake.

It was not so much for exercise and fresh air that this "hike" was taken
as for an opportunity to hold a conference where there was little
likelihood of its being overheard. They picked a grassy knoll near the
lake, shaded by a border of oak and butternut trees, and sat down close
together in order that they might carry on a conversation in subdued
tones.

"Now," said Miss Ladd, "we'll begin to form our plans. You all realize,
I think, that we have an obstacle to work against that we did not
reckon on when we started. But that need not surprise us. In fact, as I
think matters over, it would have been surprising if something of the
kind had not occurred. This man Langford is undoubtedly here to block
our plans. If that is true, in a sense it is an advantage to us."

"Why?" Hazel Edwards inquired.

"I don't like the idea of answering questions of that kind without
giving you girls an opportunity to answer them," the Guardian returned.
"Now, who can tell me why it is an advantage to us to be followed by
someone in the employ of the people whom we have been sent to
investigate."

"I think I can answer it," Hazel said quickly, observing that two or
three of the other girls seemed to have something to say. "Let me speak
first, please. I asked the foolish question and want a chance to redeem
myself."

"I wouldn't call it foolish," was the Guardian's reassuring reply. "It
was a very natural question and one that comparatively few people would
be able to answer without considerable study. And yet, it is simple
after you once get it. But go ahead and redeem yourself."

"The fact that someone has been put on our trail to watch us is pretty
good evidence that something wrong is going on," said Hazel. "You warned
us not to be sure that anybody is guilty until we see the jam on his
fist. But we can work more confidently if we are reasonably certain
that there is something to work for. If this man Langford is in the
employ of the Grahams and is here watching us for them, we may be
reasonably certain that Aunt Hannah was right in her suspicions about
the way little Glen is being treated, may we not?"

"That is very good, Hazel," Miss Ladd commented enthusiastically. "Many
persons a good deal older than you could not have stated the situation
as clearly as you have stated it. Yes, I think I may say that I am
almost glad that we are being watched by a spy.

"But I didn't call you out here to have a long talk with you, girls.
There really isn't much to say right now. First I wanted you all to
understand clearly that we are being watched and for what purpose.
Langford convicted himself when he asked for the double room next to the
one occupied by Katherine and me and offered to pay the regular rate for
two. He thinks that he is able to maintain an appearance of utter
disinterest in us and throw us off our guard. But he overdoes the thing.
He makes too big an effort to appear unconscious of our presence. It
doesn't jibe at all with the expression of decided interest I have
caught on his face on two or three occasions. And I flatter myself that
I successfully concealed my interest in his interest in us.

"Now, there are two things I want to say to you, and we will return.
First, do your best, every one of you, to throw Langford off the track
by affecting the most innocent disinterest in him as of no more
importance to us than the most obscure tourist on earth. Don't overdo
it. Just make yourselves think that he is of no consequence and act
accordingly without putting forth any effort to do so. The best way to
effect this is to forget all about our mission when he is around.

"Second, we must find out where the Graham cottage is and then determine
where we want to locate our camp--somewhere in the vicinity of the
Graham cottage, of course."

"Let me go out on a scouting expedition to find out where they live,"
Katherine requested.

"And let me go with her," begged Ruth Hazelton.

"All right," Miss Ladd assented. "I'll commission you two to act as
spies to approach the border of the enemy's country and make a map of
their fortifications. But whatever you do, don't get caught. Keep your
heads, don't do anything foolish or spasmodic, and keep this thing well
in mind, that it is far better for you to come back empty handed than to
make them suspicious of any ulterior motive on your part."

CHAPTER IX.

FURTHER PLANS.

"Now, girls," said Miss Ladd, addressing Katherine and Hazel, "let me
hear what your plan is, if you have any. If you haven't any, we must get
busy and work one out, for you must not start such an enterprise without
having some idea as to how you should go about it. But I will assume
that a suggestion must have come to you as to how best to get the first
information we want or you would not have volunteered."

"Can't we work out an honor plan as we decide upon our duties and how we
are to perform them?" Hazel inquired.

"Certainly," the Guardian replied, "I was going to suggest that very
thing. What would you propose, Hazel?"

"Well, something like this," the latter replied: "that each of us be
assigned to some specific duty to perform in the work before it, and
that we be awarded honors for performing those duties intelligently and
successfully."

"Very well. I suppose this work you and Katherine have selected may
count toward the winning of a bead for each of you. But what will you do
after you have finished this task, which can hardly consume more than a
few hours?"

"Why not make them a permanent squad of scouts to go out and gather
advance information needed at any time before we can determine what to
do?" Marion Stanlock suggested.

"That's a good idea," Miss Ladd replied. "But it will have to come up at
a business meeting of the Camp Fire in order that honors may be awarded
regularly. Meanwhile I will appoint you two girls as scouts of the Fire,
and this can be confirmed at the next business meeting. We will also
stipulate the condition on which honors will be awarded. But how will
you go about to get the information we now need?"

"First, I would look in the general residence directory to find out
where the Grahams live," Katherine replied.

"Yes, that is perhaps the best move to make first. But the chances are
you will get nothing there. Can you tell me why?"

"Because there are probably few summer cottages within the city limits,"
Hazel volunteered.

"Exactly," the Guardian agreed. "Well, if the city directory fails to
give you any information, what would you do next?"

"Consult a telephone directory," Katherine said quickly.

"Fine!" Miss Ladd exclaimed. "What then?"

"They probably have a telephone; wouldn't be much society folks if they
didn't," Katherine continued; "and there would, no doubt, be some sort
of address for them in the 'phone book."

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