“Who asked you to speak?” inquired the rah-rah youth mockingly.

“I am a friend of the young lady, and she finds your presence an intrusion,” replied Darry, controlling himself by a mighty effort.

“All guests of the hotel are supposed to be acquainted,” urged the rah-rah youth, reddening a trifle.

“These young ladies do not wish to recognize you and your friends as acquaintances,” replied Dave.  “Kindly efface yourselves!”

“Don’t make your lack of breeding too conspicuous,” Dick advised, in a quiet undertone, to another of the intruders who had pushed forward to join in the conversation.

A sudden sense of discomfort seemed to sweep over the eight presuming young men.  They turned and moved away, though muttering among themselves.

“That is the kind of young men I thought they were,” Laura observed.  “I am glad that you boys sent them off about their own affairs.”

Dr. Bentley joined the young people last of all.

“I have just returned from a long walk,” he explained.  “I have to make the most of these brief summer vacations of mine.”

When dinner was announced, Dr. and Mrs. Bentley and the young people took seats at a long table reserved for their party.

It was a pleasant meal in the midst of an animated scene.

Over at another table the rah-rah boys made a good deal of noise until the head waiter went to them, uttering a few words in low tones.  After that the rah-rah youngsters quieted down considerably.

A delightful half-hour stroll on the verandas followed the dinner.  Then, like most of the guests, the Gridley young people drifted into the hotel ballroom where the musicians were playing a march.

Dick secured Mrs. Bentley for the first dance, as the doctor preferred to remain on the veranda.  Then, after the first dance, a general change of partners was made.

But the Gridley boys were too well bred to claim all the dances with their girl friends.  Laura and her friends had other acquaintances at the hotel.  Dick & Co. stood back to give these other young men a fair opportunity of securing some dances with the girls.

It was eleven o’clock when the hop had finished.  For a few moments Dick & Co. chatted with the Gridley High School girls on the porch.  Then they prepared to take their leave.

“We’ve had a splendid time, for which we must thank you all,” Dick declared.  “We did not look for any such pleasant evening as this has been when we left home on our hike.”

“We are indebted to you all for the most delightful time of our lives,” Tom stated formally with a very low bow.

“We couldn’t have had a nicer time under any circumstances.  Thank you all,” Dave Darrin said, on taking leave.

The other boys found words in which to fitly express their pleasure and gratitude.

Then, as Mrs. Bentley and the girls went in side the hotel, the Gridley High School boys wheeled to march back to camp.