were pursed angrily, and her blue eyes fairly blazed
righteous wrath. Julia Cloud caught her breath, and wondered how she
was to control this young fury; but before she could say a word
Allison stepped in front of her, and spoke coolly.

"That's the reason she's such a good scout, Aunt Ellen. That's why we
want her to come and take care of us. Because she knows how to stay
young."

He suddenly seemed to have grown very tall and quite mature as he
spoke, and there was something about his manly bearing that held Ellen
Robinson's tongue in check as he looked at his watch with a polite
"Excuse me," and then turned to Julia Cloud. "Aunt Jewel, if we are to
meet my guardian on that train, I think we shall have to hurry. It's
quite a run into the city, you know." Julia Cloud arose with a breath
of relief.

"The city!" gasped Ellen. "You're not going into the city this late in
the afternoon, I hope! Do you know how long it takes?"

Allison glanced out to his high-powered machine confidently.

"We made it in an hour and a half coming over. I guess we shall have
plenty of time to meet the five-o'clock train if we go at once. I've
got a peach of a car, Aunt Ellen. I'll have to come round and take you
and the kids a ride to-morrow or the next day if Aunt Jewel can spare
me."

"Thank you! I have a car of my own!" snapped his aunt disagreeably.

"Oh! I beg your pardon! Well, Aunt Jewel, we really must go if we are
to meet Mr. Luddington. Good-by, Aunt Ellen! Good-by, cousins! We'll
see you again before we leave town, of course. Come on, Aunt Jewel!"
And he took Julia Cloud lightly, protectingly by the elbow, and
steered her out of the room, down the steps, and into the car, while
Leslie danced gayly after, chattering away about how nice it was to
get back East and meet real relatives.

But Ellen Robinson was not listening to Leslie. She hurried after her
departing guests regardless of a noisy struggle that was going on
between her two youngest over the railway train, and stood on her
front steps, fairly snorting with indignation.

"Julia Cloud, what does all this mean? You shan't go away until you
explain. Have you taken leave of your senses? What is this nonsense
about going to college?"

Allison with his hand on the starter gave his aunt a swift, reassuring
smile; and Julia Cloud from the safe vantage of the back seat leaned
forward, smiling.

"Why, it's the children that are going to college, Ellen, not I. I'm
only