itchen to meet him while at the same time
another man glided silently out of the door at which the woman had just
come in. The man wore a golfing cap. If he was not the identical person
who had lately occupied the clubhouse then Phil Way was vastly mistaken.

"Wouldn't you like some bananas?" asked Way pleasantly. "We thought likely
you did not get to town often and maybe would relish a taste of these,"
and with a friendly smile he tendered his offering.

With only a word of thanks and that spoken rather indifferently, Phil
thought, the great Swede accepted the fruit. Still holding the paper
sack under his arm he said he wished the camp at the lake only good luck
but he thought it dangerous for the boys to stay there. It would be more
so as time went on, unless a pouring rain came very soon to wet the ground
and foliage. The probability of forest fires near by was becoming serious.
Two severe blazes had already occurred. He pointed away to the west and
south, calling attention to smoke that he said he could see over the
distant tree tops.

Oddly enough Phil could see no smoke, at least nothing more than usual.
The horizon in this region had always a hazy, smoky tinge, he had
observed. Nevertheless he said he appreciated the suggestion and added
that a few days more would see the breaking of camp at the lake, anyway.
It was in his thoughts to ask what Anderson himself would do in the
event of a forest fire. The tiny clearing, he thought, would be very
little protection if the flames came near it.

But Way refrained from speaking of this. There was a matter of more
importance about which he wished to inquire. "Do you know if there is
anyone staying at the clubhouse at the lake, Mr. Anderson?" Thus did the
boy frame his question. Receiving no answer but a shake of the head, Phil
then continued. "Because," said he, "it would be right convenient if we
could get permission to use the workbench in the automobile house. We'd
do no harm to anything."

"I tank yo better let him bay," Nels answered, the least bit sharply.
But more kindly he went on to say that he knew of no one being at the
clubhouse now and that while the property was not his, the best advice
he could offer was not to meddle with anything in the buildings or on
the grounds.

Quite baffled by the Swede's apparent friendliness, yet certain that he
was practicing deception, Phil returned to the machine. He told fully of
the conversation with Anderson while the