to see a joke. Then she said: "Polly could have so _many_
admirers, but she never looks at a man. Perhaps that is why all you males
sigh so broken-heartedly at her heels."

The young man laughed softly to himself. "Maybe! But this 'Tom' seems to
feel assured of a 'look' from her."

Now it was Dorothy's turn to pinch Eleanor, and she did so with great
gusto. Eleanor winced but dared not express herself in any other manner,
just then. She was too keen on the trail of learning what she could, to
signify any sense of having felt that pinch.

"Oh--Tom! He is an old family friend, you know. He was Polly's brother's
college-chum for four years while both boys studied at the University of
Chicago. I am from Chicago, and I knew those boys when they used to come
to my home with my brother, who also attended the engineering classes.
There was a fourth boy--Paul Stewart, who was from Denver. Anne Stewart
was his sister and she married John Brewster, this Spring. So you see, we
are all old friends together. I suppose the whole family crowd will come
out on the yacht, tonight."

Dorothy listened in sheer amazement, as Eleanor spoke with all the
assurance possible. But Dorothy was not aware of Eleanor's lifelong
training in the home of a social leader of Chicago's exclusive set. That
such a home-training made a girl precocious and subtle, was not strange,
and Eleanor had had fourteen years of such a life before she went to
Pebbly Pit and met Polly. Habits so well-engrounded are not easily
broken, or forgotten.

"Then the sender ought to have sent his message to one of the adults of
the party. Even _I_ misjudged the matter, because I thought this 'Tom'
must be a faithful admirer of Miss Polly's to get through to visit the
steamer tonight," explained the operator.

"But he isn't coming alone--didn't you stop to consider that?" asked
Eleanor, eagerly. "Seeing that most of the friends are Polly's personal
ones, the wire was sent to her, you know."

"I see."

"The only thing that hurt me, was that no one sent me a message. Tom is
as dear to me as to Polly, and I wonder he did not wire me."

"Perhaps this Tom thought you would have scores of eager messages the
moment your beaus knew you were near enough to get them," laughed the
young officer.

"Well, they didn't! But I want you to do something for me--will you?"
asked Eleanor, quite unexpectedly.

"I will if I can," agreed the officer.

"Write off a fake message for me and