“Can’t we come over again before to-morrow?” asked Dick, with a wistfulness that caused a general smile.

“If you don’t come over except when you’re especially sent for,” declared Miss Meade, “you’ll wake up some morning in the near future and find us gone on to the next camping place.”

Dick had already told Dr. Bentley of the fugitive, Tag Mosher, and the fact that that young offender was at large in the woods, and armed.

“I’m not afraid of him,” declared the doctor bluntly, “and I shall always be within sound of the camp.  It wouldn’t take you boys long to get over here, either, at need.”

Dick now reluctantly called his chums away, as Mrs. Bentley and the high school girls might want a little time to themselves.

“It’s going to be great to have such company right at hand,” declared Darry gleefully.

“Only I must warn you of one thing,” retorted Dick.

“What?”

“You remember the errant that brought us into the woods?”

“Football training!”

“Exactly, and even the welcome presence of the girls mustn’t be allowed in the least to interfere with the serious and hard work that we have ahead of us for the honor of good old Gridley High School!”

“That goes, too,” nodded Greg.  “Though I am afraid the girls will feel almost neglected.”

“No, they won’t,” Darry retorted.  “The girls all belong to Gridley High School as much as we do, and they’re just as big football boosters when it comes to that.  They’ll endure a little neglect when they know it’s for the honor and glory of our school.”

“Besides,” suggested Dick, “they may be glad to put in a little time watching us train.”

There will be no objection to that, will there?”

“Not a bit,” declared the others.

Tom Reade, having been left in charge of the camp, had also taken upon himself the preparing of the dinner, though this was not his day for such service.  The others now turned to help him.

“I’m glad the girls have come, and I’m also sorry,” declared Reade.  “If we stick to training as conscientiously as we ought to they’ll feel that we’re not showing them all the attention they’ve a right to expect.”

“We won’t neglect training,” Dick retorted, “and the girls won’t feel neglected, either.  We’ve talked that over on the way here, and we’ll explain it to the girls when we see them again.  They’re Gridley High School girls, and they’re sensible.”

It was not long ere dinner was ready.  Six famished boys sat down at the table.

“I wonder what on earth is the reason that we haven’t heard from Mr. Hibbert, or from the Blinders agency, either?” spoke Dick, when the meal was half over.

“I had almost forgotten about those parties,” Tom rejoined.  “Not hearing from Hibbert, as I take it, means that that generous young friend of ours has broken off communication with the Eagle Hotel in Gridley.  But I can’t understand why the agency hasn’t communicated with us in some way.”