e to-night. Have you
heard from your father?"

"The housekeeper received a message while I slept that he wouldn't be
out for several days," Jack replied.

"Well," said Frank, "I believe it would be a good plan for you to
sleep at our house. At any rate until your father returns home. You
can bunk in with me. I've got a big bed. Then, if anything happens at
night, we'll all be together."

"All right, I'll do that," Jack agreed. "Not that I expect anything
will occur. But, as you say, if there is trouble, it is best to be
together. Well, now let's join the girls. We've still got some
daylight left, and we might make up doubles for tennis."

CHAPTER XX

OUT FOR REVENGE

After dinner, which the five young people ate without the presence of
their elders, as even Mrs. Temple was absent, having been picked up in
a friend's motor car during the afternoon and whisked away to a
country home near Southampton, all adjourned to the gallery. A
desultory conversation was maintained, but presently at a whisper from
Frank, Della slipped indoors with him. Then from the long french
windows of the music room came two voices mingling harmoniously in the
strains of an old Southern melody to an accompaniment played by Della
on the piano.

The others listened until the conclusion which they greeted with
spirited applause. Then by common consent all three arose and went in
to join. Thereafter for an hour, the singing continued, with first
Della and then Miss Faulkner at the piano.

When the common repertoire of songs had been nigh exhausted, Bob who
had wandered off to a window and stood there in the breeze, looking
out at the play of moonlight on the lawn, returned with a suggestion
that they all go for a short spin in the motor boat. The others
eagerly assented. What a lark. A spin in a speed boat under the
moonlight.

Wraps and sweaters were procured, for although the night was warm it
would be cool on the water, especially if any speed were attained.
Then the party set out, Jack and Bob squiring Miss Faulkner, and Frank
slightly in the rear with Della.

On the walk to the boathouse Della reproached Frank for having taken
so many risks the previous night. He regarded her slyly.

"But Jack and Bob took risks, too," he said.

Della flushed. Was the young rascal intimating her interest in him was
greater than in the others. She was about to reply tartly, but Frank
awkwardly took her hand and squeezed it, then hurriedly