When Tess and Dot understood more fully the final outcome of the trouble that had for so long disturbed the Pendleton children-Margy and Carrie as well as their brother-they both wanted to write home to the little Pendletons about it.

"We're so glad that nice Mr. Pendleton isn't going to be called a thief any more," Tess remarked to Ruth, "that we want to let 'em know how we feel. Besides, I guess Mrs. Pendleton is happy now, too."

"And he's a very interesting man, I think," added Dot. "I never knew another man who fell out of a tree. Did you, Tess?"

"No," drawled Tess. "I guess I never did. And it is so nice that he is proved to be honest. How happy Margy and Carrie will be."

So the little girls sat down that evening to write to the little Pendleton girls. This got Agnes and Neale started. They, too, had been warmly interested in the Pendleton case and in spite of the many and exciting things they had to think of at the St. Sergius Arms, the chums felt that they would like to express their congratulations to Mrs.

Pendleton.

"Well, well!" said Mr. Howbridge, laughing, as he saw all the Corner House party preparing to bombard the Pendletons with written communications. "Suppose we get up a round robin of congratulation, all sign it, and send it to the Pendletons? And we will send them something with it that will be more material, if you all agree. What do you say to a case of fruit?"

"Oh!" gasped Dot, suddenly. "And an alligator. One of those baby ones. I guess Margy and Carrie would like one for a pet."

But Ruth managed to steer the littlest girl off that topic. The alligator went home to Milton later as a present to Sammy Pinkney. It was a memento of the Corner House Girls' stay at St. Sergius bound to fill young Sammy with delight and his mother with distaste. Still, as Neale pointed out, it was little worse when considered as a house-pet than the Belgian hare.

That single trip of exploration sufficed for all the Kenway party while they remained at St. Sergius. Professor Keeps had scarcely noticed Luke Shepard's absence, although it had been for almost a week. He was a very absent-minded professor, indeed. But once the young man was at his work again, the botanist kept him busy.

Luke was interested in the work too. He gave himself over to the botanical excursions and the Corner House girls had to find their fun and excitement without his help.

Neale was able to a.s.sist Mr. Howbridge in certain business matters as well. He rode often to Senor Benno's princ.i.p.al estate at the further end of the island, and this took him from Agnes more than that young person liked.

"There's not much fun without Neale around," she confessed to Ruth. "He aggravates me, and pokes fun at me, and all. But he leaves a sort of emptiness behind him when he's gone."

"Get better acquainted with the other girls," advised Ruth sympathetically. "There are some nice ones here."

To this statement Agnes Kenway agreed. One girl especially appealed to her. Nalbro Hastings proved upon further acquaintance to be just as sweet and companionable as she had seemed to be at first.

"And she is coming to see us," Agnes told Ruth. "She has promised to come to Milton this spring. Just think! The old Corner House will have to put its best foot forward to entertain _the_ Nalbro Hastings. I'm glad we've got a car. But don't you think, Ruthie, we can afford a neat little maid with a cap and ap.r.o.n? Linda is so clumsy."

"Neale would say you wanted to 'put on dog,'" ventured Ruth, laughing.

"Now, dear! Consider! This girl is used to _everything_."

"Then she must be used to flat-footed Finn servant girls," declared Ruth gaily. "She must take us as we are." And although she seconded her sister's invitation very warmly to the Back Bay girl, Ruth made up her mind that she should not be foolishly catered to.

People came to the St. Sergius Arms to rest; but the Kenway party seemed to find little time for that. For the younger set there was something gay doing almost every day and evening. And when it came time for Mr.

Howbridge to take his flock back to the north there was a gay masquerade dance engineered in honor particularly of Ruth and Agnes.

It was a very gay occasion, quite the gayest indeed that the sisters had ever entered into. Even the Poole dance early in the winter, where they had so unfortunately caught cold, had not delighted Agnes so much. And Ruth could not fail to be charmed, everything about the masquerade ball was so well done.

Luke would remain some weeks longer with Professor Keeps. But he was on hand for the ball.

Were Tess and Dot forgotten? They most certainly were not! Dot went as a fairy, gauzy wings and all, while Tess was Little Bo-Peep and carried a crook.

"Though you haven't got any sheep, Tess," observed Dot critically. "You haven't even got one of those big turtles to drive! So I don't see what good that big cane does you."

"I'd look nice trying to drive Mr. Methuselah, wouldn't I?" said her sister scornfully.

"I could ride on him," giggled Dot. "That was funny. I guess Sammy Pinkney would say it was funny. I wish Sammy could see Cristuff Columbo and Julius Caesar-though that's the name of Bill Monnegan's horse."

"Now, Dot Kenway!" exclaimed Tess, "you are going to take home that alligator to Sammy. You can't take all the reptiles in the world to him.

You couldn't put one of those turtles in our trunk."

"Oh, well," sighed Dot. "But I know Sammy won't believe it if he doesn't see those turkles. I say, Tess!"

"Well? What is it?" asked her unruffled sister.

"Do you know, I just believe that after we tell Sammy Pinkney about all we did and saw and about the turkles that the next time he runs away to be a pirate he'll go to Plam Island. I just know he will," and she repeated her statement with the utmost confidence.

THE END