“No, I didn’t, neither!” he replied; and he proceeded to relate the whole story, all the while proclaiming that he was innocent.
“But who is this old man?” demanded Jack. “Surely you know him!”
“I never saw him before in my life!” declared the man.
“Nor I!” chimed in his sister.
“Is there an insane asylum anywheres around?” asked Jack.
“No nearer than twenty-five miles,” answered Mrs. Brown.
“Well, let this be a lesson to you. You deserve to be punished; but since we are going away quickly, we’ll let the matter drop. But it was a mean, contemptible trick!” concluded Jack.
The young people quickly got into the machine and drove off. Completely exhausted after their severe mental strain, the girls could not even relax; they alternately laughed and cried all the way home.
Though the boys were tremendously happy over their success, John was a trifle disappointed at Marjorie’s almost total disregard of him. She was dazed, but so thankful that her brother was with her; indeed she seemed to lean entirely upon him. Frieda, on the other hand, gave all the credit to Bob Felton, who was, in her mind, their real deliverer. She had not been so distressed over the affair as Marjorie, and she was calmer now.
In less than half an hour they drove into the grounds. The greater part of the party were bathing, but the older people were sitting on the porch.