This is his own.”
She spoke impulsively. “Oh, Nyoda, couldn’t we let them use the ground floor to hold their meeting in?”
A cheer burst from the seven boys’ lips. “Hooray! May we, Miss Kent?”
Nyoda was silent and looked at the boys with a troubled expression, and her glance as it rested on Hinpoha held a reproof. There was an awkward silence. Then the Captain spoke up.
“I understand what you mean, Miss Kent,” he said simply and straightforwardly. “You don’t know anything about us and of course you wouldn’t want to share your club house with us on such short acquaintance. We wouldn’t think much of you if you did. It was all right of course for you to ask us to stay and dance with the girls this one evening when you were here with us, but that doesn’t mean that you’re willing to adopt us. But we like you girls first rate, and want to know you better if you will let us. You can go to any of the teachers at Carnegie Mechanic and find out all you want to know about us. Pitt’s father is Math teacher there and my father is Dr. Cicero St. John. It was simply great of you to offer to let us come here and hold our meetings, and if you’ll still keep the offer open after you have investigated us to your satisfaction we’ll be mighty grateful and will promise not to bother you upstairs.”
The boy’s face was so open and manly that it was impossible not to believe in him then and there. Nyoda smiled into his earnest face. “All right, Captain,” she said, “we’ll agree to put you on probation, and if you stand the test we’ll consider the matter of sharing the Open Door Lodge.”
The Captain smiled back at her and held out his hand. “You’re a peach and I like you,” he said emphatically, and the two were sworn friends from that moment on.
CHAPTER II
VERONICA
At four o’clock one afternoon some few days later Hinpoha and Sahwah, breathless from hurrying, ran up the steps of the house where Nyoda lived and rang the bell. The other Winnebagos were already assembled when they entered, and Nyoda was not there.
“Where’s Nyoda?” demanded Sahwah.