it?" Mrs. Vincent asked eagerly.

For answer Miss Carter put Don into her arms.

The next few minutes were taken up by repeated explanations, while Don,
held tight by his father's big hand, helped out by many illuminating
bits of information about "ve bad mans and the silly woman."

"And I have you to thank, my dear." Mr. Keith held out his hand to
Janet as they rose to go.

Chuck laughed, "Wrong guess, Uncle. This is the one," and he pointed
to Phyllis.

Mr. Keith laughed, and took Phyllis's hand and gave it a mighty squeeze.

"Some day I will thank you for what you have done for me," he said
huskily, "all of you. You have made me the happiest man in the world."

Mrs. Vincent kissed both the girls, and there was a glint of tears in
her soft gray eyes as she shook hands with Miss Carter.

Chuck was the only one who was quite master of himself. He nodded, as
befitted a hero, to them all, until he came to Phyllis.

"S'long," he said, taking her hand. "I'll see you to-morrow at two."

"So will I," Don's baby voice called from the depth of his father's
shoulder; "and every day after that as long as I ever live," he added
stoutly.

CHAPTER XVII

CHRISTMAS VACATION

After Don's discovery, things settled down into their normal course,
and the days followed one another in a monotonous row. Weeks passed,
and with the first really cold snap came the Christmas holidays.

Miss Carter and the two girls started on a Friday afternoon for Old
Chester. There was only one cloud on their happy day and that had been
the last good-bys to Sally, who, with Daphne, had come down to the
station to see them off.

"I simply refuse to think of school without her," Phyllis said, as the
train pulled out of the tunnel and roared through the northern end of
the city.

"Not only school," sighed Janet, "but afternoons and Sundays. No more
skating parties at the rink, no more walks in the park, and no more
Saturday evenings at the movies, with Sally to make us laugh at the
wrong places."

"Oh, come, children, it's not as bad as that," Miss Carter protested.
"Sally will be home for the Easter holidays, and June isn't so very far
away."

"But we are going to Tom's in June," Phyllis reminded her.

"And when we come back Sally will be going back to that hateful old
school again," Janet added tragically.

"Oh, dear, dear, dear," laughed Auntie Mogs; "it's a very black world,
isn't it? I wonder, if I told you a secret,