Dick, and he blushed just a trifle. "I got a letter in Chicago, as
you know. It was from Dora Stanhope, and she said that she and her
mother were traveling again and expected to go either to Santa Barbara
or Los Angeles. Her mother is not well again, and the doctor thought
the air on the Pacific coast might benefit her."

"Oh, my, but won't Dick have an elegant time, if he falls in with
Dora!" cried Sam. "Tom, we won't be in it."

"Now don't you start to tease me," returned Dick, his face redder
than ever. "I guess Dora always gave you a good time, too."

"That's right, she did," said Tom. And then he added: "Did she say
anything about the Lanings?" For the Laning girls, Nellie and Grace,
were cousins to Dora Stanhope, and Tom and Sam thought almost as much
of them as Dick did of Dora.

"To be sure she did," replied Dick. "But I guess it's--well, it's a
secret."

"A secret!" shouted Sam. "Not much, Dick! Let us in on it at once!"

"Yes, do!" put in Tom.

"But it may prove a disappointment."

"We'll chance it," returned Tom.

"Well then, Dora wrote that if she and her mother could find a nice
cottage at Los Angeles or Santa Barbara they were going to invite