e to joke, dad," objected the boy, dropping into a
chair. "But I've got something very particular that I want you to do for
me, and it will make Christmas really jolly after all if you can do it."

Then Dick unfolded his plan, while Mr. Prescott looked uneasy.

"Why, Dick, my boy, if Dalzell's parents don't want him to go camping it
would look very strange in me to call on them and urge them to exchange
their own good judgment for mine. It would look like an impertinence on
my part. Dan's father and mother are the very best judges as to whether
he should be allowed to go away several days camping. In fact, although
I've consented to it, I'm not sure that I have shown the best kind of
judgment in the matter."

"Oh, I don't want you to urge the Dalzells very hard, dad. I'm not just
asking that. But I think, if you talk it over with them, perhaps----"

"It's a queer bit of business for me," remarked Mr. Prescott.

"But will you go, Dad? Please."

"Yes," agreed Mr. Prescott very reluctantly.

"Can you--can you just as easily go soon, dad?"

"Ye-es. I'll go now. It's such a queer piece of business that I shall be
thankful when I have it over with."

"And you'll say the best word you can think of, won't you?"

"If you don't stop soon, young man, I may change my mind and back out
altogether."

But Dick, who knew well enough that his father's promise, once given,
was never gone back on, thanked him and then danced joyously out into
the street again.

"What was the matter, Dick?" asked Tom Reade, curiously, when he
rejoined his chums. "Did you forget something?"

"There was something I wanted to talk to dad about," responded Dick
evasively.

"What----" began Dan, without an inkling of a true guess.

"Be still, you Danny boy," ordered Dave Darrin bluntly. "The family
affairs of the Prescotts should be no concern of yours."

Though, very much to his regret, Dick did not possess a watch, he
nevertheless managed to keep very good track of the time. Something more
than an hour later he led the fellows around to his own corner. He was
just in time to see Mr. Prescott returning.

"You stay here a minute," young Prescott directed, then set off at a run
to join his father.

"Did you--did you----" he panted, as he reached his parent.

"Yes," replied the head of the family, a bit stiffly. "I made a nuisance
of myself over at the Dalzells. I talked and talked. They talked, too,
and both Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell asked me i