etsey.
When you go East next week, I'm going, too. That is, as far as Chicago.
From there I take a little run up into Canada."

"But you said you'd spend Christmas with us!" argued Betty.

"Oh, Christmas is months off," returned Mr. Gordon comfortably. "I expect
to be back in the States long before the holidays. And Bob's aunts have
finally made up their minds where they want to spend the winter. Aunt
Faith has commissioned me to buy two tickets for southern California."

"But there's Bob!" Betty gazed anxiously at her uncle. "What's Bob going
to do without any one at all, Uncle Dick?"

Mr. Gordon looked at Bob, and an unwilling grin turned the corners of the
boy's mouth.

"That's the way he's been acting all day," scolded Betty. "What ails
him? I think it's silly to sit there and smile when there's nothing to
smile about."

"I suspect Bob doesn't take kindly to secrets," returned her uncle.
"Suppose you 'fess up, Bob, and when the atmosphere is clear we can have
a little talk."

"All right," said Bob, with manifest relief. "I kept quiet only because I
wanted to be sure I was going, sir. Betty, Mr. Littell wrote me about a
military academy in the East and put me in, touch with several boys who
attend it. Uncle Dick thinks it is just the school for me, and I'm going.
Timothy Derby is one of the boys. He's a son of the man I worked for in
Washington."

"How splendid!" With characteristic enthusiasm Betty forgot her momentary
displeasure at Bob's method of keeping a secret. "When are you going,
Bob? Where is the school?"

"That's the best part," said Bob boyishly. "It's the Salsette Military
Academy, Betty, and it's right across the lake from the Shadyside school.
All five of the boys Mr. Littell told me of are friends of the Littell
girls, so you see it is going to be great fun all around."

"I never knew of anything so nice!" declared Betty. "Never! So you knew
when I told you about Shadyside that you were going to be so near!"

Bob nodded.

"Have to keep an eye on you," he said with mock seriousness, at which
Betty made a little face.

"You haven't much time to get ready," Mr. Gordon warned them. "The aunts
will leave Wednesday and our train pulls out at ten twenty-six on Friday
morning. Of course you will do your shopping in Washington and be guided
by the advice of Mr. and Mrs. Littell. I wish I could go to Washington
with you, but that is impossible now. You must write me faithfully, both
of you, tho