"My brother John says he is going to work these cliffs as soon as he finishes his college course of engineering," said Polly.
"And Tom Latimer is going to be his partner!" added Eleanor, watching her sister closely.
"Nolla, I didn't tell you that, at all!" cried Polly.
"Tom Latimer! Does she know him?" asked Barbara of Anne.
"I don't know, Bob; Paul and he are great friends of John Brewster's, you know."
Polly would not deign to look at Eleanor again, and took the homeward trail without another word as she felt pained at her newly found friend's mis-statement of facts. But Eleanor had done it all for friendship's sake. She knew what a radical change all this information would make in Barbara's estimation of the Brewsters and the ranch, so she said more than she herself really believed true.
At that moment the dinner-horn sounded and the girls started for the house, without making further comment on the cliffs.
CHAPTER IX
SEVERAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS
As the four girls came around the corner of the ranch-house Sary banged a plate of hot biscuits upon the table. Some of the biscuits bounced off and rolled across the snowy cloth, so Sary made a swift lunge to catch them before they fell upon the ground.