“Of course I know; now don’t you think for a moment of any petty little disappointments we girls may have.  Why, they’re nothing compared to your trouble and Mr. Perry’s, and the boys’.”

Patty telephoned Philip Van Reypen, and that young man was simply aghast.

“I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed.  “Do you mean to say that you people are to be held up there for weeks?  It’s preposterous!  It’s criminal!”

“Don’t talk like that, Philip.  We can’t help it.  The Perrys can’t help it.  And it isn’t a national catastrophe.  Honestly, a few weeks’ rest will do me good.”

“Yes!  With that Cameron man dangling at your heels!”

“Well, Philip, if I have to stay here, you ought to be glad I have some one here to amuse me.”

“I’m not!  I’d rather you were there alone!  Patty, I won’t stand it!  I’m coming up myself, to dig you out!”

“Don’t talk foolishness!  If you come up here, you’ll have to stay!  They don’t let any one leave the house.”

“All right, then, I’ll stay!  That wouldn’t be half bad.”

“Philip, behave yourself!  Mrs. Perry has all the company she can take care of.”

“I’ll help her take care of her company.  One of ’em, anyway!”

“I won’t talk to you, if you’re so silly.  Now listen.  You go ahead with your party to-night, and ask some other pretty girl to take my place.”

“Take your place!” Philip’s growl of disgust nearly broke the telephone.

“Yes,” went on Patty, severely, “to take my place.  And then, when we get let out, you could have another party for me.  Don’t you see, it will be a sort of celebration of my release from captivity.”

“I tell you I won’t stand it!  I’ll have the confounded party to-night,—­because I’ll have to, but to-morrow I’m coming straight, bang, up to Eastchester!”

“Come if you like, but you won’t be admitted to this house.  And I think you’re acting horrid, Philip.  Instead of being sorry for me, you just scold.”

“I’m not scolding you, Patty, but I won’t have you shut up there with that Cameron!”

“And Kenneth.”

“Harper’s all right, but that Cameron boy is too fresh,—­and I don’t want you to encourage him.”

“All right, Philip, I won’t encourage him.  Good-bye.”  Patty spoke in her sweetest tones, and hung up the receiver suddenly, leaving Mr. Van Reypen in a state of mind bordering on frenzy.

Then Patty called up Nan, and explained the whole situation to her.

“How awful!” said Nan, in deepest sympathy, “both for Mrs. Perry and for you.”

“Yes, it is; but of course there’s nothing to do but make the best of it.  Ken is splendid.  If it weren’t for his strength and courage I don’t know how I’d bear it.  But he won’t let me give way.  So I’m going to be a heroine and all that sort of thing, a real little Casablanca.  Honestly, Nan, I feel ashamed of myself to think of my little bothers,—­when the boys have their business matters to consider, and Mrs. Perry is in such deep trouble.  So I’m going to do my best to be cheerful and pleasant.  They say we may be here two or three weeks or more.”