indows. Jessie came
down from her perch and attached the house-end of the aerial to the
rope. When Amy had the latter hauled up and fastened to a hook driven
into the outside frame of Jessie's window, the antenna was complete.

At that (and it sounds easy, but isn't) they got it twisted and had to
lower the house-end of the aerial again. While they were thus engaged,
a taxi-cab stopped out in front. Amy, leaning from her chum's window,
almost fell out in her sudden excitement.

"Oh, Jess! They've come!" she shouted.

"What do you mean?" demanded Jessie. "We were not expecting anybody,
were we?"

"You weren't, but I was. I forgot to tell you," cried Amy. "They just
went around Long Island and came up the East River and through Hell
Gate and got a mooring at the Yacht Club, off City Island."

"Who are you talking about?" gasped her chum, wonderingly.

"Darry----"

"Darry!" ejaculated Jessie with mixed emotions. She glanced down at
her overalls. She was old enough to want to look her best when
Darrington Drew was on the scene. "Darry!" she murmured again.

"Yes. And Burd Alling. They telephoned early this morning. But I
forgot. Here they come, Jess!"

Jessie Norwood turned rather slowly to look. She felt a strong desire
to run into the house and make a quick change of costume.

THE FRECKLE-FACED GIRL

CHAPTER V

THE FRECKLE-FACED GIRL

Of the two young fellows hurrying in from the boulevard one was tall
and slim and dark; the other was stocky--almost plump, in fact--and
sandy of complexion, with sharp, twinkling pond-blue eyes. Burdwell
Alling's eyes were truly the only handsome feature he possessed. But
he had a wonderfully sweet disposition.

Darry Drew was one of those quiet, gentlemanly fellows, who seem
rather too sober for their years. Yet he possessed humor enough, and
there certainly was no primness about him. It was he who hailed Jessie
on the ground and Amy leaning out of the window above:

"I say, fellows! Have you seen a couple of young ladies around here
who have just finished their junior year at the New Melford High with
flying colors? We expected to find them sitting high and dry on the
front porch, ready to receive company."

"Sure we did," added Burd Alling. "They have taken the highest degree
in Prunes and Prisms and have been commended by their instructors for
excellent deportment. And among all the calicos, they are supposed to
take the bun as prudes."

Amy actually