y of
entering into lively conversation.

The boys wanted to know all about the mysterious man Anderson, who had
been lodged in jail. As Dorothy and Tavia had played rather a
conspicuous part in the man's capture, and all this had happened since
the girls had been out to the Cedars, on their visit, naturally Ned and
Nat were interested in the sensational news.

"I'm glad he's safe out of your reach, Doro," said Ned, "for you never
seemed to know when or where he would turn up."

"Yes," put in Tavia, "Doro has actually gained flesh since we landed
him. He was such a nuisance. Had no regard for persons or places."

"And how about the news from India?" asked Ned. "I suppose the major
will sell out in Dalton and move to better accommodations now. Not but
what Dalton is a first-rate place," seeing the look of reproach on
Dorothy's face at the idea of anyone uttering a word against her
beloved town, "but you know there are little conveniences in other
places, postmen for instance, and well--something called society, you
know."

"We have no thought of going away," answered Dorothy. "Father says the
money is just enough to make us comfortable and there is plenty of
comfort to be bought in Dalton."

"And some given away," ventured Nat, with an arch glance at Tavia.

"Which way shall we go?" asked Nat, as a forking of the road made a
choice necessary.

"Through the glen," suggested Dorothy, "there is such a pretty spot
there where we can lunch."

"Which spot?" asked Tavia, "I thought this was all road with deep
gutters at the side, running down to the river over the hill."

"I am quite sure this is the road father took us out to picnic on,"
said Dorothy with some hesitation.

"Well, maybe," said Tavia, "but I think this is the old river road. It
seems to me I have been out this way before, and never even found a
place to gather wild flowers, all road and gutters, then a big bank to
the river."

"Let's try it anyhow," decided Nat. "It looks nice and shady."

So the turn was made to the left, and presently another turn rounded,
then another, until both Tavia and Dorothy lost all sense of the
location.

"We will wind up somewhere," declared Nat, when the girls protested
they would be lost if the machine were not turned around, and brought
back to the river road.

"This is such a tangle of a place," insisted Dorothy, "and we really
might not meet a person to direct us."

"Then we will keep right on, and r