und to
the beach side--here, Helena's room was dark too, but in the Flopper's
window, the end room next to the kitchen and woodshed, there was a
light. The night was warm, and, though the shade was drawn, the window
was open. Madison whistled softly, and the Flopper stuck out his head.

"Hello, Flopper," said Madison; "come out here--I want to have a talk
with you. Helena in bed?"

"No; she's out," replied the Flopper.

"Well, hurry up!" said Madison. "Come around in front by the trellis
where we can see the other fellow first if anybody happens to be
strolling about."

Madison withdrew from the window and walked around to the front of the
cottage. Here, a few yards from the porch, by the trellis, already
beginning to be leafy green, was a rustic bench on which he seated
himself. The moon was not full, but there was light enough to enable him
to see across the lawn through the interposing row of maples, and,
hidden by the shadows himself, the seat strategetically met his
requirements.

Presently, the Flopper came out of the front door and joined him.

"Say, Doc," announced the Flopper abruptly, "de Patriarch's been askin'
fer youse yesterday an' to-day."

"Asking?" repeated Madison.

"Sure," said the Flopper. "He can scrawl if he is blind, can't he? He
scrawls yer name on de slate. We can't tell him nothin', an' he's kinder
got de fidgets like he t'inks youse had flown de coop."

"That's so," said Madison. "It is rather difficult to communicate with
him, isn't it? I guess we'll have to get him some raised letters."

"What's them?" inquired the Flopper.

"I don't know exactly," Madison answered. "I never saw any, but I
believe they have such things. Been asking for me, has he? Well, I'll
fix it to see him to-morrow. Where did you say Helena had gone?"

"I said she was out," said the Flopper. "If you ask me where, I'd say de
same place as last night an' de night before--down to dat private car
wid his nibs. Say, dere's some class to dat guy all right, an' I guess
Helena ain't got her eyes shut."

"Hey!" ejaculated Madison. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he's got de rocks, ain't he?" declared the Flopper. "Why
shouldn't she be after him? Dat's wot we're here fer, ain't it, de whole
bunch of us?--an' she ain't t'rowin' us, is she, if she sees a chanst to
pick up somet'ing on her own?"

Madison turned quickly on the Flopper.

"You mean," he said sharply, "that there's something going on between
Helena and T