"Oh ho! Then don't let us butt in on a date with the fair damsels," said Ward quickly. "Come on, fellows, Frank has his hands full."
"Nothing of the sort!" objected Frank quickly. "I didn't expect to meet them. Here, don't go away."
But the other three had turned down a side road, looking back with mocking grins on their faces.
"Hang it all!" exclaimed Frank. "Leaving me in the lurch this way. Andy at least might have stayed. Well, I'm not going to run." Frank was not a coward in more meanings than one.
"How do you do, Mr. Racer?" asked Miss Morton, as she approached. "I didn't expect to meet you here. This is my friend, Miss Grace Knox. Grace, this is the gentleman I was telling you about—he met me on the steamer."
"I trust you have not had any more trouble with Mr. Callum," Frank said.
"Oh, no, I haven't even seen him," said Gertrude. "Oh, but he frightened me so!"
"It must have been terrible," commented Miss Knox.
"I've told Grace all about it," Gertrude went on. "She and I are great chums. We go to the same school. It's not far from Riverview Hall, and sometimes we walk home this way."
"I—I hope you do it often," said Frank gallantly.