she will return to her father. Poor thing! But we must be careful not to
let Auntie Sue know." Then smiling up at him, she added: "It seems like
Auntie Sue is getting us into all sorts of conspiracies, doesn't it?
What DO you suppose we will be called upon to hide from her next?"

At Brian's suggestion, they went first to the barn, where he quickly
finished his work. Then, carrying the full milk-pail between them, they
proceeded, laughing and chatting, to the house, where Auntie Sue stood
in the doorway.

The dear old lady smiled when she saw them coming so, and, returning
their cheery greeting happily, added: "Have you children seen Judy
anywhere? The child is not in her room, and the fire is not even made in
the kitchen-stove yet."



CHAPTER XVIII.

BETTY JO FACES HERSELF.


All that day Auntie Sue wondered about Judy, while Brian and Betty Jo
exhausted their inventive faculties in efforts to satisfy the dear old
lady with plausible reasons for the mountain girl's disappearance.

During the forenoon, Brian canvassed the immediate neighborhood, and
returned with the true information that Judy had stopped at the first
house below Elbow Rock for breakfast, where she had told the people
that she was going back to her father, because she was "doggone tired of