Barry described the lodge to him, and Charlie was enthusiastic. “Say, that will be a dandy place. Fireplaces and stoves and bedrooms and all. But we’d have to stay overnight, wouldn’t we?”
“Yes, but we wouldn’t mind that. Coach and Mrs. Jordan will be along, and there is plenty of room for us all. We can take enough for our supper and breakfast the following morning. How are you going to go?”
“In sleighs,” Charlie returned. “It is an easy matter to get hold of sleighs. Of course, it isn’t much of a straw ride when you take it in a sleigh. I’ve always thought of a straw or a hay ride as one where you go in a truck or a big wagon, with straw on the bottom.”
“It doesn’t make any difference,” said Barry. “As far as that goes, we can put straw on the bottom of the sleighs. So you agree to the lodge proposition?”
“Sure thing! You ask all of them you see if they’ll stay overnight, and I’ll do the same. We’ll make this a dandy outing. Say, want to hear a little music on my new cornet?”
“I don’t care. My nerves are in pretty good order today!”
“Castor Oil’s aren’t,” replied Charlie, as he took the instrument from the waste basket. “He howls every time I go at it.”
After leaving Charlie Black’s house Barry started home, intending to stop and see some of the boys who were going on the ride. As he came to a certain corner he heard the noise of an oncoming car, and as it was traveling at a fast pace, he paused on the curbing and let it rush past him. Glancing at the driver, he saw that it was Carter Wolf and one companion. They looked at him, but nothing was said, and the car passed on.
“So he is back from Rake Island,” Barry reflected, as he went on.
That night at the supper table Pearl spoke about the contemplated trip. “I hear that we are going to stay overnight at Bluff Lodge, Barry. Did you plan that?”