ain?" said
Charley. "And haven't the Sun Planters been kind?"

Felicia whitened under her tan.

"Oh, but, Charley, I'm not going. I don't have to, do I, Roger? I'm so
afraid of Dicky. He slapped me twice, Charley, and he knocked you over
with his fist. Oh, let me stay with Roger!"

Charley gasped. "Oh, Felicia! Felicia! Oh, my little Felicia!"

Roger spoke quickly. "Why not let her stay for a little visit, Charley?
I'll finish Elsa's tent this afternoon and she can share that with Elsa,
till her nerves become normal."

"But I'm going up to stay with Charley," said Elsa; "that's part of the
cure."

"Then let her stay alone. She'll be safe and happy with me," replied
Roger. "Dick deserves punishment."

Charley looked at Roger, then at Felicia. "I think that's a good idea,"
she said, slowly.

And so when Ernest and Gustav came home that night, they found Felicia
watching the camp fire beside Roger, and after she was asleep in her
tent, they heard the whole story. Ernest was indignant at the thought of
Elsa's staying on at the ranch.

"I am going to be firm with her in the morning," he said.

But Elsa's firmness was greater than Ernest's and shortly the two
households had settled down and Dick was gradually reinstated in every
one's good graces but Roger's. Felicia stayed on for a week, to the joy
of the three camp mates who spoiled her outrageously. Then one Saturday
evening Dick came down and he and Felicia had a long talk, at the end of
which Felicia said good-by to Roger, Ernest and Gustav, and returned to
the ranch, quite happily.

CHAPTER XII

DICKY'S LAST BOUT

The fact that the engine had fallen below expectations brought the Sun
Planters' food problem into prominence again. When Elsa had begun
housekeeping for the men she had protested over the meagerness and the
simplicity of the food supplies. But Roger had explained their situation
frankly and Elsa had proceeded to make good German magic over the canned
food of which the camp had been so weary.

"The Lord knows," exclaimed Ernest at the breakfast table one morning,
"how long we'll be tied up in this Hades. If Roger's begun puttering on
the engine we may be here ten years."

"This isn't Hades, Ern!" exclaimed Elsa. "I'm having the time of my
life."

"I notice that Dick's down here a good deal," said Ernest, slyly, "and I
suppose that adds to the hilarity of the nations."

"By the way," Elsa ignored her brother except for a blush, "w