"Don't be ridiculous, girls!" Ruth observed.
"Really it isn't at all nice of you, my dear," her chum said.
"I'm not doing this because it is nice," flared Ruth, whose nerves were a little raw by now. "It is something I have to do."
"What, then?" demanded Jennie.
"I can't tell you! It is not my secret! If it were, don't you suppose I would take you both into my confidence?"
"I don't know about that," grumbled Jennie Stone.
"I had made arrangements to do this before you came," the girl of the Red Mill said, rather provoked. "You must take me at my word. I cannot do differently. I never told you girls a falsehood in my life."
"Goodness, Ruthie!" exclaimed Helen, with sudden good sense. "Say no more about it. Of course we know you would not desert us if it could be helped. If Tom would only come while you are gone——"
"I may be able to communicate with him," Ruth said, turning her head quickly so that her chum should not see her expression of countenance. "And there is something you girls can do for me while I am gone."
"I warrant!" groaned Jennie. "No rest for the wicked. Don't try to think up anything in the line of cooking for me, Ruthie Fielding, for I won't do it! I have come here to get away from cooking."