lot of business, or keep it away. And he said that if I didn't quit
meddling with this business I'd have reason to feel sorry."

"What did you tell him?"

"To get out of my office before I kicked him out! He didn't like that, I
can tell you. But I noticed that he got out. But here's the point. Are
you still planning that camping trip to Lake?"

"Yes--I think it would be splendid there."

"Well, why don't you start pretty soon?" Holmes knows this country very
well, and he's got so much money that, if he spends it, he can probably
find people to do what he wants. Up there it's lonely country, and
pretty wild, and you could keep an eye on Bessie and Zara even better
than you can here. I don't know why he wants to have them in his power,
but it's quite evident that their plans depend on that for success, and
our best plan, as long as we're in the dark this way, and don't know the
answer to all these puzzling things, is to keep things as they are. I'm
convinced that they can't do anything that need worry us much as long as
we have Bessie and Zara safe and sound."

"We can start to-morrow," said Eleanor. "Bessie--will you tell the girls
to get ready? I'll go and make arrangements, Charlie."

And so, the next day, after lunch, the Camp Fire Girls, waving their
hands to kindly Mrs. Farnham, and making a great fuss over Walter, who
drove them to the station, said good-bye for the time, at least, to the
farm. And Dolly Ransom, Bessie noticed, took pains to be particularly
nice to Walter Stubbs.