"Thought you'd find Tavia interesting," grinned Ned, helping Bob take off his great ulster, at which words the lad addressed flushed to his temples.

"Say, fellows, that yarn about the hose--" began Nat.

"Nat no longer believes in Santa and the stockings," chimed in Ned, "he hung up all his socks last night and--"

Nat glared at Ned, then calmly proceeded: "About the hose, as I was saying, is nonsense! I own some pretty decent-looking socks, as you've noticed-I hung 'em all up and nary a sock remained on the line this morning. Santa stole them!"

"It's the funniest thing about Nat's socks," explained Dorothy, hastily, "he thought one pair would not hold enough, and so strung them all over the fireplace, and this morning they were gone!"

Ted hummed a dreamy tune, and stared at the beamed ceiling, with a faraway look in his eyes. Nat, with sudden suspicion, grabbed Ted's leg, and there, sure enough, was one pair of his highly-prized, and highly-colored, socks, snugly covering Ted's ankles.

A rough and tumble fight followed, and Tavia, with high glee, jumped into it. Finally, breathless and panting, they stopped, and demurely Tavia, for all the world like a prim little girl in Sunday School, sank to a low stool, with Bob at her feet. Nothing could be quieter than Tavia, when Tavia decided on quietness.

"We came over in the biggest sleigh we could find," said Bob, "so that all could take a drive-Mrs. White and Major Dale too, you know."

"Oh, no, the young folks don't want an old fellow like me," protested Major Dale.

"We just do!" Dorothy replied, resting her head against her father's arm affectionately. "We simply won't go unless you and Aunt Winnie come."

"Why, of course, dear, we'll go," answered Aunt Winnie, who was never known to stay at home when she could go on a trip. As she spoke she sniffed the air. "What is that smell, boys?"

"Something's burning," yawned Ted, indifferently, just as if things burning in one's home was a commonplace diversion from the daily routine.

Noses tilted, the boys and girls sniffed the air.

Suddenly Bob and Nat sprang to Tavia's side and quickly beat out, with their fists, a tiny flame that was slowly licking its way along the hem of her woollen dress. With her reckless disregard of consequences, Tavia had joined in the rough and tumble fight with the boys, and, exhausted, had rested too near the grate. A flying spark had ignited the dress, which smouldered, and only the quick work of the boys saved Tavia from possible burns. For once she was subdued. Mrs. White soothed her with motherly compa.s.sion. She was always in dread lest Tavia's reckless spirit would cause the girl needless suffering.

"You see," said Bob, smiling at Tavia, as they piled into the sleigh and he carefully tucked blankets about the girls, "you can't entirely take care of yourself-some time you'll rush into the fire, as you did just now."

For an instant Tavia's cheeks flamed. He was so masterful! She yearned to slap him, but considering the fire escapade, she couldn't, quite.

The major was driving, with Dorothy snuggled closely to his side, and Ted curled up on the floor. Nat took care of Aunt Winnie on the next seat and Bob and Tavia were in the rear.

On they sped over snow and ice, the bitter wind sharply cutting their faces, until all glowed and sparkled at the touch of it.

"Did you hear from the girls?" asked Dorothy, turning to Tavia.

"Just got Christmas cards," answered Tavia.

"I fared better than that. Cologne wrote a fourteen page letter--"

"All the news that's worth printing, as it were," laughed Tavia.

"Underlined, Cologne asked whether I had heard the news about Mingle, and provokingly ended the letter there. I'm still wondering. Her departure at such an opportune moment was a blessing, but we never stopped to think what might have caused it," said Dorothy, thoughtfully.

"Well, whatever it was, it saved us," contentedly responded Tavia. "By the way, Maddie sent me the cutest card-painted it herself!"

"Who wants to ride across the lake?" demanded Major Dale, slowing up the horses, "that will save us climbing the hill, you know, and the ice is plenty thick enough; don't you think so, Winnie?"

"Yes, indeed," Aunt Winnie answered, ready for anything that meant adventure, and as they all chorused their a.s.sent joyfully, away they drove over the snow-covered ice.

The horses galloped straight across the lake, up the bank, and then came a smash! The steeds ran into a drift, dumped over the sleigh; and a shivering, laughing ma.s.s of humanity lay on the new, white snow.

"Such luck!" cried Tavia, "out of the fire into the snow!"

While Major Dale and the boys righted the overturned sleigh, Bob took care of the ladies.

"You and the girls leave for New York to-morrow, Tavia tells me," said Bob.

"Yes," replied Aunt Winnie, with a sigh, "a little pleasure trip, and some business."

"Business?" cried Dorothy, closely scrutinizing her aunt's worried face.

Quick to scent something that sounded very much like "family matters,"

Tavia turned with Bob, and deliberately started pelting with snow the hard-working youths at the sleigh.

"Aw! Quit!" scolded Ted.

"There, you've done it! That one landed in my ear! Now, quit it!" Nat stopped working long enough to wipe the wet snow from his face.

But Tavia's young spirits were not to be squelched by mere words; Bob made the snow b.a.l.l.s for Tavia to throw, which she continued to do with unceasing ardor.

"Why, yes, Dorothy," Aunt Winnie replied, watching Tavia. "I'm afraid there will be quite a bit of business mixed with our New York trip. I'm having some trouble. It's the agent who has charge of the apartment house I am interested in-you remember, the man whom I did not like."

"The apartment you've taken for the Winter?" questioned Dorothy, shivering.

"You're cold, dear." Aunt Winnie, too, shivered. "Run over with Tavia and jump around, it's too chilly to stand still like this. How unfortunate we are! The sun will soon dip behind those hilltops, and the air be almost too frosty for comfort."

"Tell me," persisted Dorothy, "what is it that's worrying you, Aunt Winnie? I've noticed it since I came home. I want to be all the a.s.sistance I can, you know."

"You couldn't help me, Dorothy, in fact, I do not even know that I am right about the matter. I do not trust the agent, but he had the rent collecting before I took the place, so I allowed him to continue under me. I can only say, Dorothy, that something evidently is wrong. My income is not what it should be."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! But, I'm glad you told me. Wait until we reach New York-we'll solve it," and Dorothy pressed her lips together firmly.

Aunt Winnie laughed. "Don't talk foolishly, dear. It takes a man of wide experience and cunning to deal with any real estate person, I guess; and most of all a New York agent. My dear, let us forget the matter. There, the sleigh seems to be right side up once more."

"Tavia," whispered Dorothy, as she held her friend back, "we're in for it! Aunt Winnie has a mystery on her hands! In New York City! Let us see if you and I and the boys can solve it!"

"Good! We'll certainly do it, if you think it can be done," said Tavia.

"Oh, good old New York town! It makes me dizzy just to think of the whirling ma.s.s of rushing people and the autos and 'buses, and shops and tea-rooms! Doro, you must promise that you won't drag me into more than ten tea-rooms in one afternoon!"

"I solemnly promise," returned Dorothy, "if you'll promise me to keep out of shops one whole half-hour in each day!"

CHAPTER IX JUST DALES