"When you see me coming at this stage of the game loaded down like this you'd know for sure that Auntie Graham was going on a roughing trip."
"That's all right," said Kit. "Mrs. Graham can take whatever she likes on the trips, if she'll only go along."
"You're a nice boy, Kit, to say such nice things," said Mrs. Graham, smiling. "But you're all nice boys to take an old lady like me with you, and stand for all my laziness and tantrums."
"That's right, auntie, you keep on with that line of talk, and you'll get these fellows so spoiled that I'll have to begin training them all over again. I just had them so that they were going along all right. But you mustn't let them know they're nice, or they'll quit being nice right there. Come, fellows, help carry Auntie Graham's things down to the wagon. We've got to get started pretty pronto."
They were all ready to start when an orderly dashed up on horseback, and handed Hallie a letter, saluted, and rode off.
The girl tore open the envelope, and read its contents.
"What shall I do?" she asked, handing the letter to Ted.
Ted's eyes ran over it rapidly.
"Forget it," he answered, crumpling the note in his hand and throwing it away.