In their two motor boats the young people paid visits to many near-by resorts, occasionally, when the weather was fine, even venturing out on the ocean. But, save for Cora, the girls were always a little timid about this, and so the ocean trips were not numerous.
One day Mr. Haley came hurrying over to the girls’ bungalow from the lighthouse. He held a paper in his hand.
“Where is Miss Kimball?” he asked of Belle, who answered his knock. “I must see her at once.”
“Why, has anything happened?” Belle asked in sudden alarm. She looked down on the beach, and was relieved to see Nancy safe there.
“No, miss, nothing has happened–yet,” replied the keeper. “But I received a strange message just now, and I want to tell Miss Kimball.”
“Cora!” called Belle, and Cora, who had been in an inner room, came out.
“What is it?” she asked, and Mr. Haley handed her the piece of paper.
“I just found that on my doorstep,” he explained. “I was home all alone, my helper being in town buying supplies, and Rosalie and Dick being out in the boat. Read it.”
“But how did it get there?” asked Cora, as she stepped over to a window to see more plainly.
“I don’t know, except some boy must have brought it there, left it and run away. It was weighted with a stone.”