"Some of the girls think it was sent by some of the Boy Scouts at
Spring Lake. You see they came up in full force to Hiawatha on the
night when we held our Grand Council Fire. It was a complete surprise
on us, exceedingly well done and about as clever as you could expect
from the cleverest boys. Before they left, several of them boasted
openly that they were planning another surprise for some of us, and
they dared us to find out in advance what it was."

"No doubt that is what this note means," Mr. Stanlock declared so
positively and such a gleam of interest in his eyes that Marion
could not help wondering just a little.

"What makes you so certain about it?" she inquired. "I don't see any
real proof in those words as to what they mean or who wrote them."

"No, no, of course not," agreed Mr. Stanlock with seemingly uncalled
for glibness; "but then, you see, it is more reasonable to suspect
that this note came from the boys than from the strikers. If it is
between the two,--the boys and the strikers,--I say forget the
strikers and be sure that the boys sent this note."

"I wish that the boys would spring their surprise tonight and settle
the question of that note," said Marion.

"Why?" inquired her father with the faint light of a smile in his
eyes.

"Because I don't like the uncertainty of the thing. Uncertainty always
bothers me, and this is a more than ordinary case."