"Oh! you know you told us to invite
our friends to the party; not you, but the
other girls did, when they signaled across
that night from the green Pinnacle--gee!
and it was some signaling, too."
The scout's glance was teasing now as
it shot up from the grass. "So--so
one of the older boys he ran across that
bunch o' fellows who were blooming round
in the cave the other day--they're all
from camps on the lake--and invited the
whole five. This one thought he couldn't
accept, but I guess he 's making a dash
at it--at coming just the same!"

"Oh! ... Oh, dear! I wish he
wasn't!"

"Why?" Now it was the scout's turn
to hang, breathless, upon the interrogation
as he too jumped to his feet.

"Because--oh! because I 'd be--be
ever so much more comfortable without
him--enjoy myself more." Pem caught
her breath wildly.

"Then 'twill be A. W. O. L. for him!
[[224]]

p223 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p224w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p225

v?