was
enjoying the place. But she only replied, 'Oh, ya-as, thanks!' with that
awfully English accent, and walked out of the room. Well, anyhow, we're
formally acquainted now (whether either one of us enjoy it or not!), and
that may be a useful thing later, perhaps."

It was still dark the next morning when Leslie awoke from a dreamless
sleep--awoke suddenly, with the distinct impression that something
unusual was happening. She lay perfectly still for several moments,
trying to localize the sensation more definitely. In her room were two
windows--a small one facing Curlew's Nest and a large, broad one facing
the sea. Leslie always had this window wide open, and her bed was so
placed that she could easily look out of it.

She did so now, and noticed the first light streak of dawn along the
east, and a brilliant star so close to the horizon that it seemed to be
resting on the edge of the tossing ocean. Then her heart leaped and felt
as if it almost turned over--for between her and the light, at the
window, she descried the shape of a dark head!

Involuntarily Leslie sprang up to a sitting position. Then the tension
relaxed and she drew a deep breath of relief. It was only Rags, standing
on his hind legs at the window, his great shaggy head silhouetted against
the light. In another instant he had uttered his low, rumbling growl of
uneasiness.

"What is it, Rags? What do you see?" she called softly to him. He forsook
the window for a moment and trotted over to nuzzle his head on her
pillow, but almost immediately hurried back to his post at the window.

"There's something worrying him!" she thought. "Now I wonder what it can
be. Suppose--suppose it were some one around that other bungalow again!
I'd better get up and see."

She rose softly, slipped on a warm dressing-gown and slippers, and peered
first out of the side window at Curlew's Nest. But the darkness was still
intense on this side, there was no tell-tale light in the chinks of the
shutters, and she was forced, after watching for several moments, to
conclude that nothing was amiss in this region.

Then she went to the window facing the ocean, pushed Rags aside a trifle,
and cuddled down beside him on the window-seat. The dawn was growing
every moment brighter. The streak of gray along the horizon had grown to
a broad belt of pink, and very faintly the objects on the beach were
beginning to be visible. Rags still rumbled his uneasy growl at
intervals, and star