rned to the girl with the light of a
new idea shining in his eyes.

"I know what we can do," he told her. "We can hide you where your
father cannot find you for some time. There is a place out in the
hills where you can stay, and no one will have any idea where you are.
Mother can go with you, and it will do her so much good, for she needs
to get away for a change. We have a nice cabin there, which father
built. It is on a little island, in a beautiful lake, and I know you
will enjoy the life. You see, we have a coal mine on the shore of the
lake, and that is why father built the cabin. He used to live there
for weeks at a time. But since his death it has been occupied but
little; although I sometimes spend several days there when out hunting."

The expression in the girl's eyes showed her interest in John's words,
and when he stopped she lifted her face to his.

"But what about you?" she asked. "How will you get along without your
mother?"

"Oh, I shall live there, too, part of the time," John laughingly
explained. "You will not get clear of me as easily as all that. I
shall have to attend to the farm, but having the car, I can run out and
back in a short time. Perhaps you will see too much of me when you and
mother set up housekeeping in the wilderness."

"I think it will be splendid!" Jess exclaimed. "I have often wanted to
live just such a life as you describe. And having your mother with me,
and you visiting us often, what more could one ask?"

"And just think of the delightful hours you and mother can spend upon
the lake, or walking through the woods. And during the evenings and on
wet days you will have books and magazines, for I shall keep you well
supplied with reading matter. In fact, there are a good many books
already in the cabin, for father was a great reader."

"When can we go, John?" Jess was all eager now for the adventure.

"We shall have to speak to mother first. I know that she will enter
enthusiastically into our scheme."

"Then we had better go back to the house at once. We told her we would
be away but a short time, and we have forgotten all about our promise."

"Mother won't mind," John replied. "She likes to see us happy, and she
understands."

They stepped out from beneath the tree upon the narrow path, and as
they did so a sound upon the river attracted their attention. Glancing
in that direction, they saw a small row-boat coming toward them. There
was one per