“Let me take a hand in this,” begged Mr. Wright.  “Is your letter at all of a private nature?”

“Not in the least, sir.”

“May I see it?”

“Certainly, Mr. Wright.”

The hotel manager followed Dick to the writing desk, where he glanced over the letter.

“I have only one suggestion to make,” said the manager.  “Why not ask the secretary, Mr. Howgate, to send his answer by telegraph to this hotel, collect?”

“That would be all right,” agreed Dick frankly, “if his answer isn’t too long, or if he doesn’t have to send more than one telegram.  We are not exactly overburdened with funds, Mr. Wright.”

“That doesn’t cut any figure at all,” replied the hotel manager in a voice so low that none but Prescott heard him.  “Any telegrams sent here for you will be paid for by the hotel.  There will be no expense to you, Mr. Prescott.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand why you should do this, Mr. Wright,” said Dick, looking at the other attentively.

“Purely a matter of business, my boy,” the hotel manager beamed down at him.  “Such racing as I hope to have here on Lake Pleasant constitutes a summer season attraction.  Arrange a schedule of races, and you may be sure that both hotels will advertise the fact.  It will be enough to draw a lot of young people here, and this hotel thrives by the number of guests that it entertains.  So will you do me the favor of asking your Mr. Howgate to telegraph his answer—–­collect—–­addressing it here?”

That began to look like something that Prescott could understand.  He called Dave over to him and told his chum what was being discussed.

“Fine!” glowed Darrin.  “Thank you, Mr. Wright.”

So Dick made the suggested addition to the letter.  After he addressed an envelope and had sealed it the manager took the letter away to mail.  Then he returned to say, with a tactfulness that won the hearts of the eight Gridley High School girls: 

“Mr. Prescott, you and your friends will oblige me if you will make this hotel your headquarters when you are on this side of the lake.  We shall always be delighted to see you here.”

Thanking the manager for his courtesy, Dick and Dave accompanied Laura to the porch; where they were introduced to some of the other guests.  Then the two boys and the girls started down to the lakeside once more.

“Mr. Wright was very kind,” murmured Dick gratefully.

“He never fails in courtesy toward anyone,” replied Laura.  “You boys will come over every day, won’t you?  We must have a picnic or two.”

“And you must all visit our camp.”  Dick urged.  “It isn’t much of a place, but the welcome will be of the real Gridley kind.  If you dare take the risk, we’ll even offer you a camp meal.”

“The farmers’ gardens are in danger, after all, then,” laughed Susie.  “If you are going to deplete your larders to entertain us, we girls will surely rob the farmers to make up for what we eat.”