ests, and she
greeted Patty quite as warmly as the others.

Suddenly a wild whoop was heard, and Winthrop Warner, the son of the
house, came running downstairs.

"Jolly old crowd!" he cried, "you wouldn't let a little thing like a
tornado stop your progress, would you? I'm glad you persevered and
reached here, even though a trifle late."

Winthrop was a broad-shouldered, athletic young man, of perhaps
twenty-four, and though he chaffed Roger merrily, he greeted the ladies
with hospitable courtesy, and looked about to see what he could do for
their further comfort. They were still in the great square entrance hall,
which was one of the most attractive rooms at Pine Branches. A huge
corner fireplace showed the charred logs of a fire which had only
recently gone out, and Winthrop rapidly twisted up some paper, which he
lighted, and procuring a few small sticks, soon had a crackling blaze.

"You must be damp and chilly," he said, "and a little fire will thaw you
out. Mother, will you get something ready for a feast?"

"We should have waited dinner," began Mrs. Warner, "and we did wait until
after ten, and then we gave you up."

"It's nearer time for breakfast than for dinner," said Elise.

"I don't want breakfast," declared Roger, "I don't like that meal anyway.
No shredded whisk brooms for me."

"We'll have a nondescript meal," said Mrs. Warner, gaily, "and each one
may call it by whatever name he chooses."

In a short time they were all invited to the dining-room, and found the
table filled with a variety of delicious viands.

Such a merry tableful of people as partook of the feast! The Warners
seemed to enjoy the fact that their guests arrived at such an
unconventional hour, and the Farrington party were so glad to have
reached their destination safely that they were in the highest of
spirits.

Of course the details of the trip had to be explained, and Roger was
unmercifully chaffed by Winthrop and his father for having taken the
wrong road. But so good-naturedly did the boy take the teasing, and so
successfully did he pretend that he came around that way merely for the
purpose of extending a pleasant tour, that he got the best of them after
all.

At last Mrs. Warner declared that people who had been through such
thrilling experiences must be in immediate need of rest, and she gave
orders that they must all start for bed forthwith.

It is needless to say that breakfast was not early next morning. Nor did