et's visit Mateo in a body. Force of numbers you
know. He lays it to eggs--Wunny's bewitched eggs, but I lay it to
cowardice. There's nothing the matter with my valiant valet but
downright scare. After proposing the thing, too, and being the best
figure of all to do it. Ta, ta, ladies! We shall meet again--at feeding
time. Eh, Alfy? I mean Miss Babcock!"

"Huh! Don't you think I didn't notice 't you ate more 'n anybody else of
the crackers and cheese. Good-by!"

They separated, the girls to their own rooms to freshen themselves for
the evening and for a long talk over the delights of this wonderful
summer; yet in all their happiness, a deep regret was in their warm
hearts for Jim Barlow's absence and the wish that they might know where
he was and that he was well.

The lads sought Mateo in his room, and though the valet pretended
slumber he was promptly roused by the energetic attentions of his
visitors.

"Look here, Mateo, we know you're shamming. The fact is that after
getting us all wrought up to this bear business and agreeing to take the
chief part, you're afraid. Either you think the 'boys'll' get lively
with their shooting-irons and hunt the bear too well, or else--I don't
know what else. Only this, you can't pretend to be hoodooed or
'bewitched' with any of Wun Sing's omelettes. That's all up. The
doctor's taken a hand in that and I know it isn't indigestion you're
bewitched with--it's plain sneak. Now, boy, get up!"

After Leslie's long speech, that ended in the terse command, Mateo
raised himself on elbow and protested:

"But it is of the illness, I, senor, _en verdad_. The omelette of Wun
Sing--"

"May have been a little too rich for you, Matty lad, but don't worry.
That wonderful fowl has shortened her life by her own ambition. I
suppose she had a certain number of eggs to lay during her earthly
career and she concluded to get the job over with. She's an all right
Chinee hen, but _she's_ the one that'll die, not you nor Wunny Sing.
Doctor Jones said so. We've interviewed him on the subject. Doctors know
a lot. So, be decent! Get up and practise a bit."

Thus adjured by Herbert, for whom the valet had a great admiration,
Mateo threw off the light covers and rose to his feet--fully dressed. He
had only lain down, professing himself ill, whenever there was danger of
his young master appearing.

With a swift change of front, he now fell in with the lads' notions, and
thereafter followed an hour of "p