Two days later they were at Pryor’s Gap, and Mr. Pierce was glad to see them. He insisted that they stay several days at his house, to which Jack agreed. But his host did not see much of our hero, for, somehow, there were many sights of interest about the Gap, and no one seemed able to point them out to Jack, save a certain brown-eyed maiden—but there, what’s the use of rubbing it in?
“Well, I hope you lads will come camping out here again, soon,” said Mr. Pierce, as the members of the gun club prepared to take their leave.
“I hope we can,” said Jack. “We have enjoyed the hospitality of you and your daughter very much.”
“Especially the daughter,” put in Nat, in a voice intended only for Jack’s ear. “You old duffer, you monopolized her.”
“Humph!” exclaimed Jack. “Who had a better right?”
“Good-by, boys!” called Mr. Pierce.
“Good-by,” chorused the members of Jack Ranger’s gun club.
“Good-by,” spoke Mabel, with a blush, but she only looked at Jack. “Come again.”
“We will,” said our hero decidedly, as he held her hand at parting a little longer than perhaps was strictly necessary. But, as we asked before, what’s the use of rubbing it in?