for the little beauty.

All of them watched him wrap the pearl in a wad of pink cotton, deposit
this in a small cardboard box about two inches long by one wide, and half
as thick; which, in turn, was carefully thrust into a haversack hanging
from the center pole of the tent.

That same haversack was used as a "ditty" bag. All sorts of small articles,
likely to prove useful in camp, were deposited in its capacious depths. And
when anything was wanted, the boys usually searched in this leather pocket
before proceeding to any trouble.

"A snug nest for our first prize, eh?" Bandy-legs took occasion to remark,
as he watched how carefully Max pushed the little packet down into the
depths of this depository.

"It sure ought to be safe there," Steve declared, with a sigh as of
genuine relief.

"Nothing could happen to it, with five fellows sleeping around. And Max is
so ready to wake up that he'd even hear a cat moving," Owen remarked, with
a laugh.

"Do you expect we'll have any trouble with these pearl-shell gatherers,
Max?" Steve demanded.

"I hope not," was the ready reply. "We don't expect to interfere with their
business at all. Fact is, we'd just as lief turn over what shells we gather
to these parties to pay for trespassing on their preserves."