I'm afraid you're trying to make a conquest."

"No, I'm not--honor bright. But he's a dear boy and you can tell him
I said so."

"I'll do that," said Dorothy, with a laugh. Then she said good-by and
hung up the receiver. "I guess I won't!" she muttered, as she went
out to join Aunt Betty again. "Jim Barlow would have a conniption fit
if he ever knew what Aurora Blank had said."

CHAPTER IV

THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP

"I'm glad to see you again, Miss Blank. You'll find Dorothy waiting
for you in the house."

It was the following morning, and Jim had been roaming about the
grounds when Aurora came in. At first he had seemed disinclined to be
affable, for her actions on Dorothy's houseboat had been anything but
ladylike, until, like many another young girl, she had been taught a
lesson; but he decided to be civil for the Calverts' sake, at least.

"But I want to see you, Jim," Aurora persisted. "You don't mind my
calling you 'Jim,' do you?"

"No."

"And will you call me Aurora?"

"If you wish."

"I do wish. We're going on a long camping trip together, as I suppose
you've heard."

"Yes, and I want to thank you for the invitation."

"You've decided to accept, of course?"

"Yes. At first I didn't think I could; but Aunt Betty--Mrs. Calvert,
that is--said if I didn't I'd incur her everlasting displeasure, so
I've arranged to go."

"I'm delighted to hear it. We just can't fail to have a good time."

"I figure on its being a very pleasant trip, Miss Blank--er--I mean,
Aurora."

"You should see our new car, Jim. Papa presented it to Gerald and I,
and it's a beauty. Gerald's coming over with it to-day to teach you
and Ephraim how to run it. Then you can take turns playing chauffeur
on our trip across country. I imagine if I were a boy that I should
like nothing better."

Jim's face brightened as she was speaking.

"Thank you; I believe I will learn to run the machine if Gerald
doesn't care."

"Care? He'd better not! The machine is a partnership affair, and I'll
let you run my half. But he won't object, and what's more, he'll be
only too glad to lend you the car occasionally to take Mrs. Calvert
and Dorothy riding."

"I'll ask him when he comes over," said the boy.

Electricity was Jim's chief hobby, but anything of a mechanical
nature appealed to him. While a gasoline car uses electricity only to
explode its fuel, Jim was nevertheless deeply interested,
particularly as he had never been abl