The elder Bassetts were going to remain longer. The season had ended, and the Orowoc House would have closed as did most of the other hotels. But a man with the money and the influence, to say nothing of the determination (he called it "stubbornness" when it was repeated in his son), that the Griffin possessed, would have changed the laws of the Medes and Persians! He and his wife were comfortable where they were; he could run to New York in a few hours in the _White Streak_ when it was necessary. So they remained, and at least a part of the hotel help remained likewise. He wanted to see the foundation laid for the house he purposed to build for his son. It was to be of island stone in the rough to the eaves of the bungalow roof. That house, on a shoulder of the highest hill on the island, would be seen for miles at sea and probably would be the most expensive dwelling that a swordfisherman ever lived in. His son, however, was in business with Barzilla in earnest. A comfortable and cheaply-built shack on the shore of Dorris Cove would satisfy the firm at first. That was being erected, too. Joe Bassett gave more attention to the building of that shack than he did to the plans for the bungalow. "Business before pleasure," said the young man. "I've learned that lesson." "There is something in Joe Bassett," Carolyn's father observed to his wife. "I didn't think much of him at first. In spite of the shadow that overhung his character, though, I believe you, Hannah, thought well of him." "I could not believe that Joe Bassett was what his father said he was," Carolyn's mother said softly. "Well, guess the Griffin is sorry enough now that he ever said it, or ever believed it. He thought that nobody but he or Joe could open that library safe; but Inness was smarter than he knew. He had duplicate keys and copies of the combinations of safe-locks. He had been sifting the most secret matters of the elder Bassett for years. And he went free after all! "That was bad. But I don't suppose Mr. Bassett could bring himself to giving us newspaper chaps such a fat bit of news as it would have been. Well, all's well that ends well!" "But all wells don't end well," interposed Carolyn, who had only heard and understood a part of what her father said. "You see, there's Uncle Smith Dodge's well. He's been digging it, off an' on Aunt Ardelia says, ever since they was married; and that was an _awful_ long time ago. And he ain't never struck water yet, 'ceptin' when it rains into it. It does seem, she says, Aunt Ardelia does, that a woman could ha' done better--or she'd a-filled up the hole!" "Carolyn May!" gasped Mamma Cameron. "It is time we take the child back, Papa Cameron, or I am very much afraid she'll never speak English again." Papa Cameron only laughed, and said: "Snuggy, you are a budding feminist, without a doubt." But Carolyn May did not know what that meant. THE END * * * * *