asked
Kenneth, eagerly.

"And we'd get Old Carew to give you a _regular_ party! The men in our
crowd are gentlemen from different parts of the States, and they would
help us entertain," added Jim.

"I think it would be a treat, Mrs. Brewster, for all of us. John and I
would join the picnickers," now said Tom Latimer.

"Say, would you really, Tom?" cried Jim, delightedly.

"Sure thing. If Mr. and Mrs. Brewster approve."

John looked at his mother. "It will be dandy, Mother, if you and Dad
will go, too."

"Father and I wouldn't go, John, if Tom and you will escort the girls,"
returned Mrs. Brewster.

"Oh, but we couldn't think of going, Mrs. Brewster, unless you
chaperoned us among so many men!" exclaimed Barbara. Then when she saw
Tom Latimer looking at her she modestly drooped her head.

Tom was thinking: "Of all the empty-headed vain creatures it ever was my
misfortune to meet, she takes the cake!"

"That needn't trouble you, girls. If you will come on a Saturday and
spend Sunday at camp with us, we will have the Boss's wife there to act
as hostess. Mrs. Carew always spends Sundays at camp--unless the Boss
rides down to town to visit her. Sometimes she brings the school teacher
from Oak Creek, or other ladies who enjoy the novel life in a survey
camp," explained Jim, enthusiastically.

"Do let's go, Anne! Can't we say yes?" said Eleanor, eagerly.

"How long will both of you boys be here?" Anne asked of John.

"We planned to wait until we hear, one way or the other, regarding the
stones we sent to New York, and about the financing of Choko's Find.
Perhaps Dad and Dr. Evans might even come out and look the ground over
for themselves, before answering my letter," said John.

"Then we could safely arrange to go next Sunday, or the Sunday after?"

"Oh, yes, we will be home for a month, most likely."

John's voice betrayed his satisfaction that such was to be the case, and
Anne smiled faintly, because she could not control her own pleasure in
hearing him say so. Mrs. Brewster and Tom Latimer exchanged glances of
understanding but no one else saw them.

So it was decided that if Mrs. Carew was to visit her husband over the
following week-end, and the weather permitted, the young folks would
form a party to ride up to Buffalo Park on Saturday. With this pleasure
in view, the two boys went back to camp in the early afternoon, the
distance being so far from Pebbly Pit, that it would be quite dark
before they