union all around. Everybody was happy to see
everybody else, and for a while it seemed as if all were trying to talk
at once.

"We had a splendid trip over," declared Mrs. Nellie Rover. "Not a single
hitch all along the way. Tom had everything mapped out to the last
detail." And she gave her husband an affectionate glance.

"That's what army discipline did for me," answered Tom Rover. "I didn't
used to be so particular. But now I've got in the habit of walking a
regular chalk mark."

"Yes, I've walked me a chalk mark, too," put in Hans Mueller. "I run mine
delicatessen stores chust like they vas by army regulations alreatty. And
it pays, belief me!"

"It's a regular touch of old times to see you around, Hans," said Tom,
grabbing his former school chum by both arms. "How is that new pickling
machine getting along?"

"Vot pickling machine you mean, Tom?" questioned Hans, looking at him
blankly.

"Why, that machine you're going to invent whereby you can grind up old
oilcloth and automobile tires and make dill pickles of them."

"I don't vas got no machine like dot, Tom," answered the delicatessen man
in bewilderment. "I buy mine dill pickles by der barrel. Dem dill pickles
grows, you can't make 'em by no machine."

"Oh! Then maybe it was a new sourkraut stamper," went on Tom innocently.

"Oh, Tom, you vas joking chust like you alvays vas!" exclaimed Hans, a
light breaking in on him. "Vell, I don't care. You vas a pretty goot
fellow anyhow," and Hans smiled as broadly as ever.

"It sure is a touch of old times," declared Songbird Powell. And then,
unable to restrain himself, he burst out:

"From among the mountain tops
Where the brooklet flows,
There I love to linger long--"

"Counting up my toes,"

broke in Tom, with a twinkle in his merry eyes.

"Counting up my toes!" snorted Songbird. "Nothing of the kind! You always
did knock my poetry endways, Tom. That last line was to read like this:

"Where the sunset glows."

The young folks had a grand time that evening singing and dancing, and
did not retire until the older heads had hinted several times that they
had better do so.

"Oh, Jack, it's a splendid place to come to!" said Ruth, when she was on
the point of retiring. "I know I'm going to have the best times ever."

"And to think my Uncle John owns the place!" put in May. "Isn't it simply
glorious?"

After that the days seemed to speed along swiftly. The boys and girls
made u