But Tavia could not forget that her fault had caused great trouble to Dorothy, and try as the latter did, she could not get Tavia to resume her usual good spirits.

“But it takes Nat,” whispered Cologne, as he and Tavia sauntered off to catch imaginary trout.  “Needn’t worry about Tavia’s nerves.”

“I move,” said Ralph, “that the—­heroine—­ahem, be excused from duty for the period of two weeks.  Every time I ask Dorothy to go for a sail, she has to wash dishes.”

Dorothy blushed prettily.  “I must do my share of the housekeeping,” she insisted.  “Besides—­it’s fun.”

Ralph was not to be put off this time, however, and he declared that if Dorothy did not go for a sail with him that very afternoon—­he—­would—­drown—­himself.

“Oh, such luck!” shouted Ned.  “Too many fellows around here——­”

Major Dale stood watching, but hardly listening.

“What’s the answer, Uncle?” asked Ned, seeing that the major had something to say.

“I have just been wondering,” he said with a twinkle in his eye, “what would have happened if Dorothy had not gone up that tree.  And you boys——­”

“That’s all,” interrupted Nat, who had returned to the group.  “You are excused.”

“I have been wondering,” put in Mrs. Harriwell, who, with Mrs. Markin, was enjoying the afternoon on the porch within hearing distance, “what would have happened if Dorothy had not been mistaken for Molly.  It was a lucky mistake.”

But Dorothy insisted she had done nothing extraordinary.  Yet she could not help but wonder what would happen next.  And what did happen will be told in another book, to be called, “Dorothy Dale’s School Rivals,” in which we shall learn the particulars of some stirring doings at Glenwood Academy.

“All the same,” declared Tavia, a little sheepishly, “I don’t believe it pays to try to keep Dorothy out when there’s a question of——­”

“Common sense,” finished Cologne.  “There’s the cowbell.  And it’s Tavia’s turn to cook supper!”

Tavia sprang up and darted down the path.  Nat followed.

“She hasn’t learned to work yet,” commented Cologne.  She never knew a thing about how Tavia darned the station master’s socks.

Camp Dorothy had been closed tight all day.  As tea-time struck, the maid threw up the big flap.  “Surprise!  Surprise!” she called, and such a feast as was spread!  The very best that could be obtained for miles about Everglade.