rough the keyhole, "my dog--"

A burst of laughter interrupted her. "Oh, come off, Peggy Raymond,"
cried a voice outside. "Open this door quick, if you know what's best
for yourself."

Peggy's cry of joy was echoed by a rapturous shriek from Ruth, for the
girls had courageously followed Peggy, as she advanced to hold parley
with the besiegers, with an air of resolute determination worthy of Joan
of Arc. Peggy fumbled at locks, bolts and catches, for Aunt Abigail had
neglected no precaution, and the instant the door was opened, Ruth threw
herself into the arms of a tall young fellow who walked in with the air
of thinking that it was high time for him to be accorded the privilege.

"Oh, Graham, I never was so glad to see anybody! Some tramps scared us
almost to death."

"Tramps! Oh, nonsense!" returned Graham, with a collegian's instant
readiness to belittle the fears of his feminine relatives. "Come on in,
Jack. It seems to be safe. You know Jack Rynson," he added over his
sister's shoulder to Peggy, who nodded and turned to shake hands with
another young man, who seemed a little uncertain as to his welcome.

But unmindful of her manners, Ruth was protesting. "It isn't nonsense,
Graham. It's true. Two tramps were here this afternoon, shouting all
kinds of threats at Aunt Abigail."

"Tramps," repeated Graham, and glanced at his friend. "What sort of
looking chaps were they?"

"Oh, perfectly villainous. And each one had a great club of some sort
and a bundle on his back."

Graham broke into a roar of laughter, in which Jack Rynson joined,
though it should be reckoned to the latter's credit that he was making
an evident effort not to seem amused.

"Talk of the journalistic imagination," shouted Graham. "Why, Jack, you
newspaper fellows could get all sorts of points from these girls. We
were the tramps, Ruth. So much obliged for your kind comments on our
personal appearance."

Gradually Graham's incredulous listeners were driven to accept his
assurance. The arrival of the two young men when Aunt Abigail's thoughts
were full of the horrors of her dream, had led her to see the
good-looking boys, equipped with packs and walking sticks, in a most
sinister light. The "tramps" were taken into the front room and
introduced, Hobo, who had all of a dog's intuitive suspicion of old
clothes, sniffing disapprovingly at their heels.

The laugh was against Aunt Abigail as she herself owned. "I would have
taken my oath," she