sting subjects.

"Did I hear that you live on the island?" asked Grace directly.

"Not exactly," replied Bentley, "but I am staying there just at
present."

Not another word! That lead was lost!

"You are awfully fond of reading, aren't you?" Louise asked next.

"Oh, yes, very. Aren't you?"

And the book question was thus threatened to go the way of Grace's
query.

"Yes, indeed," Louise hurried. "What sort of books do you like best?"

"Boys' books, and I suppose you like girls' books best," he replied.

Grace and Louise exchanged glances. Each was, no doubt, thinking they
might next ask what shade of paper he liked to write on best. The reply
would likely be quite as non-committal.

"How can we get over to the island?" Grace dared then. "We are just
dying to explore that little Luna Land. It seems so romantic."

"I wouldn't advise you to visit there just now," he replied. "Nothing to
see but woods, and rocks."

"Yet every one who goes over there seems so--so selfish about the woods
and rocks, they keep telling us to stay away." Louise said this
pleasantly enough, but she did _say_ it, nevertheless.

"Oh, it isn't that," he replied, his tone completely wiping out the
possibility of any one being selfish about the island.

"What is it then?" asked Grace bravely.

"Well," he faltered, "you see some of the people over there just think
they own the place, and they're queer about strangers."

"Does Kitty feel that way?" pressed Louise.

"Kitty?" he repeated. "Do you know her?"

"Yes, a little. But she never would tell us a thing about Luna Land,
except to keep away from it." Grace contributed this effort.

"She's queer but not really dishonest," he said valiantly. "I'm getting
to understand her better."

"So are we," and Louise could not suppress a real laugh at the memory of
Kitty's various stages of friendship, or at least of her acquaintance.

Louise tried another tack. "Do you get books from the library?"

"Oh, no, I don't have time for library books," replied Bentley. "Wish I
had."

"I suppose you know a lot of boys here--are you a scout? We are Girl
Scouts you know," volunteered Grace.

"No, to all three questions," he answered. But as usual he did not
amplify his brief statement.

"There are Julia and Helen," announced Louise gayly. But the advance of
the two other girls seemed a signal for Bentley to leave, and this he
did, sliding into the ice-cream parlor before Julia and Helen reached