empty-handed."

"Oh, Wyn! Can you get me work?"

"No, not here. Nor do I believe you ought to leave your father alone up
there for so long. I expect he is not very well yet?"

"No. He is not," admitted Polly.

"Then, you go home. That is the best place for you, anyway. But before
you go you shall make such purchases as you may need----"

Polly drew away from her along the seat, and her gray eyes grew
brighter. "Oh, Miss Mallory!" she murmured. "Don't do _that_."

"Don't do what?" demanded Wyn.

"Don't spoil it all."

"Spoil what-all?" cried Wyn, in exasperation. "I'm not going to spoil
anything. But you listen to me. This is sense."

"I--I couldn't take charity from _you_--a stranger."

"I offer to lend you twenty dollars. You can pay it back when you
choose."

"Twenty dollars! You lend me twenty dollars?"

"Yes. I have quite some spending money given to me, and I have been
saving nearly all of it for some time. So I can easily spare it."

"But I don't know when I can repay you."

"I can tell you, then. You can pay me back this very summer."

"This summer, miss?"

"Don't call me 'miss'!" cried Wyn, in greater exasperation. "I have told
you my name is 'Wyn'! And I mean exactly what I say. This is a perfectly
straight business proposition," and she laughed her full-throated laugh
that made even Polly Jarley, in her trouble, smile.

"Then your business, Wyn Mallory, must be the saving of people from
trouble--is that it? For there is no reason in what you say you will
do--Oh, I can't accept it. It would be charity!" cried Polly, again
clasping Wyn's hands.

"It is not charity," said Wyn, firmly, opening her purse. "And I'll
quickly show you why it is not. You see, Polly Jolly--and I want you to
smile at me and look as though you fitted that name. You see, I am
captain of the Go-Ahead Club."

"The Go-Ahead Club?"

"Yes. We are six girls. We each own canoes. And we are just _crazy_
to spend next summer under canvas."

"You are going camping?"

"That is our intention," Wyn said, nodding.

"Oh, then! come up to Lake Honotonka," cried Polly. "I can show you
beautiful places to camp, and we can have lots of fun----"

"That likewise is our intention," broke in Wyn. "We have just decided to
camp for the summer on the shore of the lake. Rather, our parents,
guardians, and the cat, have finally agreed to our plans. We shall come
up there the week after the Academy closes."

"Now, we want you, Polly, t