Now we _shall_ have a nice time at Lighthouse Point,
for Mary can't be anything but fond of you, child!"

Ruth, however, had her doubts. She remained in the stateroom as long as
she could after the _Lanawaxa_ docked. When she was dressed and came out
on the deck the train that took Heavy and The Fox and the Steeles and
Busy Izzy home, had gone. The train to Cheslow started a few minutes
later.

"Come on, Miss Heroine!" said Tom, grinning at her as she came out on
the deck. "You needn't be afraid now. Nobody will thank you. I didn't
hear her say a grateful word myself--and I bet _you_ won't, either!"

Helen said nothing at all about The Fox; but she looked grave. The former
president of the Upedes had influenced Helen a great deal during this
first year at boarding school. Had Ruth Fielding been a less patient
and less faithful chum, Helen and she would have drifted apart. And
perhaps an occasional sharp speech from Mercy was what had served more
particularly to show Helen how she was drifting. Now the lame girl
observed:

"The next time you see Mary Cox fall overboard, Ruth, I hope you'll
let her swallow the whole pond, and walk ashore without your help."

"If your name _is_ 'Mercy' you show none to either your friends or
enemies; do you?" returned Ruth, smiling.

The girl from the Red Mill refused to discuss the matter further, and
soon had them all talking upon a pleasanter theme. It was evening when
they reached Cheslow and Mercy's father, of course, who was the station
agent, and Mr. Cameron, were waiting for them.

The big touring car belonging to the dry-goods merchant was waiting
for the young folk, and after they had dropped Mercy Curtis at the
little cottage on the by-street, the machine traveled swiftly across
the railroad and out into the suburbs of the town. The Red Mill was
five miles from the railroad station, while the Camerons' fine home,
"Outlook," stood some distance beyond.

Before they had gotten out of town, however, the car was held up in front
of a big house set some distance back from the road, and before which,
on either side of the arched gateway, was a green lamp. The lamps were
already lighted and as the Cameron car came purring along the street,
with Helen herself under the steering wheel (for she had begged the
privilege of running it home) a tall figure came hurrying out of the
gateway, signaling them to stop.

"It's Doctor Davison himself!" cried Ruth, in some excitement.

"An