"Oh, I don't know," spoke Harry, diffidently. He had not known the
"Cheerful Chelton Crowd" as long as had Walter. "Perhaps I'd better
put up at the hotel--"

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" broke in Jack. "You and Wally will
bunk in here. You forget Inez is due to give a rehearsal of the
'Prisoner of Sea Horse Island,' and you want to be here."

"Don't joke, Jack! This may be serious," said Cora, in a low voice.

"Don't worry, Sis! I feel very far from joking," and Jack put his
hand to his head with a weary gesture.

"You must go and lie down," his mother said. "Dr. Blake is coming,
and wants to see you. I am also going to have him for Inez. Cora,
if you'll show Walter and Mr. Ward--"'

"Please call me Harry!" he pleaded.

"Harry then," and she smiled. "Show them to their rooms--you know,
the ones next to Jack's room. Then you girls can come up and see our
little stranger."

Cora, with her brother and his guests, went up stairs, but soon came
down, her face flaming.

"What's the matter?" asked Belle.

"Oh, Jack! I don't believe he's ill at all!" she stormed. "It's