“It does seem good to see you boys up here,” Belle went on with enthusiasm.  “How long are you going to stay?”

“In other words, how soon are you going to be rid of us?” asked Danny Grin.

“Are you speaking for yourself, Mr. Dalzell?” Belle returned tartly.  “I inquired more particularly about the others.”

Dan quite enjoyed the laugh on himself, though he replied quickly: 

“The others have to go home when I do.  They had to promise that they would do so.”

“We have been camping at Lake Pleasant for two days,” Dick explained.  “We came up herewith our canoe and camping outfit on Billy Heckler’s wagon.  We brought along Harry’s bull-dog to watch the camp.  As to how long we’ll stay, that depends.”

“Depends upon what?” Clara asked.

“On how long our funds hold out,” Prescott explained, with a frank smile.  “You see, all our Wall Street investments have turned out badly.”

“I’m truly sorry to hear that young men of your tender age should have been drawn into the snares of Wall Street,” retorted Clara dryly.

“So, having had some disappointments in high finance,” Prescott went on, “we can stay only as long as our dog fund lasts.”

“Dog fund?” asked Susie Sharp, looking bewildered.

“Dick is talking about the money we made in bark,” Greg Holmes explained readily.

“Then you really expect to be here a fortnight?” Laura asked.

“Yes; if we don’t develop too healthy appetites and eat up our funds before the fortnight is over,” Dick assented.

“Oh, you mustn’t do that,” urged Belle.

“Mustn’t do what?” Dave asked.

“Don’t eat up your funds too quickly,” Belle explained.

“Even if you do,” suggested Susie Sharp, teasingly, “you won’t need to hurry home.  We girls know where there are several fine fields of farm truck that can be robbed late at night.  Potatoes, corn, watermelons-----”

“It’s really very nice of you girls to offer to rob the farmers’ fields to find provender for us,” returned Greg.  “But I am afraid that we boys have been too honestly brought up to allow ourselves to become receivers of stolen-----”

“Greg Holmes!” Susie Sharp interrupted, her face turning very red.

“No; it’s nice of you, of course,” Greg went on tantalizingly, “but we’d rather have a short vacation, that we can tell the whole truth about when we go home.”

“You boys may starve, if you like,” retorted Susie, with a toss of her head.  “I’m through with trying to help you out.”

“You know, Susie,” Danny Grin went on maliciously, “farmers’ fields are often guarded by dogs.  Just think how you would feel, trying to climb a tree on a dark night, with a bulldog’s teeth just two inches from the heels of your shoes.”

“Who are up here, in the way of canoe folks?” Dick asked Laura.

She told him about the Preston High School boys and the coming crew from Trentville High School.