their home. Even the fact that the sign "For Sale" had been placed on
the cottage did not seem so unbearable, for the girls and boys had
insisted that that was only a "scare" on the part of the land agents,
and that while the town constable would not interfere to the extent of
taking down the sign, he had promised to investigate the rights of
those who put it up.

But town constables are slow and timid when strangers, with big-brimmed
hats, and plenty of cigars, come from the city, and order papers signed
at so much per sign--for the constable.

The boys had come, and the supper was almost ready. Lottie looked as
pretty and as well as ever, for she had dressed in a chic pink frock,
and with a pink snood binding her brow looked as fresh as though she
had just come from the hands of a beauty specialist. After all, such
vigorous treatment and baths of spray as the girls had encountered all
that afternoon amounted to just that--beauty treatment; and Lottie was
not the only one whose cheeks glowed, and in whose eyes shone the
light that comes only from youth and health.

The rumpus that always followed the boys' arrival was in full sway,
Jack and Ed chasing Bess around the bungalow to make her give up an
imaginary lost scarf pin, while Dray and Walter contented themselves
with the less violent exercise of rocking on the front porch, where
the other girls were scattered. They certainly were "scattered," for
there was so much to tell and hear of the afternoon's adventure that
each girl chose her own listener and her own corner.

Everyone seemed deeply absorbed in this when Freda appeared at the
door with the warning bell. That meant that in five minutes the tea
bell would ring--only it was going to be dinner to-night.

"That sounds fine," Dray told Freda, who in her blue linen sailor suit
looked quite as well as the young ladies who put in most of their time
"leisuring." "Our Belle is not nearly as aristocratic as that."

"I hope dinner will bear out the reputation," Freda replied, a bit
shyly, for Dray was somewhat of a stranger to her.

"Dinner will make that reputation immortal," Jack declared, as he and
Ed gave up their chase and joined the others on the porch. "But hello!
Here comes Denny! And he has no pipe! Something surely is wrong."

Everyone ceased chattering as Denny Shane appeared on the tan bark
path.

"Hello, there, Denny!" called Jack, getting up from his porch chair.
"What's up?"

"A-plenty," answe