we're both the _cooks_ in our
families, and even as it is, we won't be back very early. It's a long
walk. Good-by, and thank you, and I'll send for the broilers to-morrow!"
And with Leslie in tow, she hurried away, leaving a somewhat bewildered
Aunt Sally gazing after them.

"Well, I guess not! The idea of trying to get acquainted a second time
with that difficult young person!" Phyllis exploded, when they were out
of ear-shot.

"And yet," mused Leslie as they swung along, "unpleasant as the thought
of it is, I wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea--to get acquainted?"

CHAPTER X

AT DAWN

"How do you mean--it might be the best thing to get acquainted with her?"
demanded Phyllis, indignantly.

"Why, if we could do so in some way that wasn't like forcing ourselves on
her, it might lead to a good many things--solving our mystery mainly. And
then,--who knows?--she _might_ be pleasant when you come to know her
better."

"No chance!" declared Phyllis, and dismissed that subject. "Well, Aunt
Sally didn't do much toward clearing up things, did she?" she went on. "I
was in hopes she'd be able to give us a good many more ideas. One thing's
certain though. That girl evidently came here in the car that rainy
night, but--Look here! Something strange has just occurred to me--Aunt
Sally didn't say _which_ rainy night, and there have been two in the past
ten days. I judge that the girl must have been with her for at least a
couple of weeks, for the hotel closed up more than two weeks ago."

"I've been thinking of that, too," replied Leslie. "And, do you know, I'm
almost certain Aunt Sally must have meant the _last_ one, because she
only said _'rainy'_ night. If she'd meant that other, wouldn't she have
said 'the night of the hard storm,' or something like that? Because it
really _was_ unusual, and if this Miss Ramsay had gone out _that_ night,
I believe Aunt Sally would have been considerably more shocked and would
have said so. What do you make of it?"

"The only thing I can make out of it is that she didn't go out that first
night. But if she _didn't_ visit Curlew's Nest that night, then who in
the world _did_?"

This certainly was a poser, and neither of the two girls could find an
adequate conjecture that would answer.

"Then, this Horatio Gaines who hired the bungalow must be her
grandfather. Of course, the _name_ is different, but he may be the