“Oliver now gave me a chance to explain why I had been alone on the road when they had found me.
“I heard Johnson say to Oliver, ‘Say, that may explain the presence of those two disreputable characters that were reported to be camping in Lake Park.’
“And Oliver replied: ‘If we find them I bet we find the three burros.’
“Well, that was some adventure, girls—that fire!” exclaimed Mr. Gilroy.
“Is that all you’ve got to say about it?” demanded Mr. Vernon, impatiently.
“Great Scott, no! I haven’t begun yet.”
“Goodness sakes! It’s past midnight now,” retorted Mrs. Vernon; “when do you expect my girls to sleep if you drag on this way?”
“Oh, Verny! We don’t want any sleep,” declared Joan, and her friends agreed eagerly with her decision.
“I wish you’d all feel this way in the morning, when I have to pull you up,” laughed the Captain.
“If you females will only give me your silence for a time, I’ll finish my story and then you can go to bed,” said Mr. Gilroy, authoritatively. Burt and Mr. Vernon laughed, but Tally continued eating for dear life.