"Couldn't a fellow or two do the toting?" asked Walter the innocent.
"That's just exactly the trouble. If we were perfectly sure we would not meet a fellow or two," replied Belle, making a very pretty mouth at Walter, "there would be no need of the toting."
"Then don't meet them—take them along. I'll go."
"Me, too," added Ed.
"Me, three," multiplied Jack.
"We fully expected you all to come," drawled Cora coolly.
"Oh, you did? Isn't that nice! They fully expected us all to come, and never told us a word about it. Now, that's what I call real cozy, and real——"
"Jack," interrupted Cora, "have we ever had a long trip entirely without you?"
"Seems to me you did have one or two—rather disastrous they were, too, if I remember aright. But we caught up. Now this time you are really going to allow us to go in the line, eh?"
"Just to wind up the season," Cora reminded him.