Leaving the monoplane to the care of an attendant, the two young men escorted the girls to a taxicab and took seats beside them. “You know, I was thinking perhaps we could get up a picnic one of these days,” Dave suggested as they drove toward the mansion. “Marshmallow has been hinting that he wants to be included.” “I think a picnic would be lots of fun,” Doris declared, “and by all means let’s have Marshmallow. He always brings the best things to eat! Of course that isn’t my reason for wanting him,” she added hastily, as the others began to laugh. During the flight Dave had chanced to remark that Don Everts had formerly piloted an air mail plane and had a flying acquaintance with nearly every town and city in the east. Doris had been longing to ask him if he had ever passed over Cloudy Cove and now she broached the subject. “My cousin comes from there,” she explained. “Cloudy Cove?” the pilot repeated thoughtfully. “Sure, I remember the place. It’s in Massachusetts. City of about thirty or forty thousand, I’d say.” The taxicab drew up at the rear gate of the old mansion, and the four alighted. Doris noticed that Ronald Trent’s red roadster was still parked nearby. “Won’t you come in?” she asked the two young men. “It isn’t late yet.” They accepted with alacrity and the girls led the way to the house. “I hope Cousin Ronald doesn’t try any more of his foolishness,” Doris said in an undertone to Kitty. Entering the house they found the Gates twins and Ronald in close conference. Doris thought Azalea and Iris looked somewhat relieved as the group came into the living room and wondered what her cousin had been saying to disturb them. The twins were delighted that the girls had brought their friends into the house, and at once made them feel at ease, but Ronald frowned as though he considered it an intrusion. He spoke agreeably enough to Dave when introduced, but it was apparent to the girls that they took an instant dislike to each other. While the Misses Gates chatted pleasantly with Doris and her friends, Ronald fidgeted in his chair and kept glancing at his watch. After a few minutes he abruptly arose and, with only a few words spoken quietly to Azalea and Iris, departed. After that, Doris sang a number of songs which met with enthusiastic approval. Azalea rang for the tea things and, as the hour grew late, Dave and his friend regretfully took their departure. “Don’t forget the picnic,” the girls were reminded by Dave as he said goodbye. “We can decide upon the date and the place later on.” “We will watch for your message,” assured Kitty. “A summer without a picnic wouldn’t be a summer at all,” sang Doris, as the two girls waved goodbye and opened the back gate. CHAPTER XVII A DOG’S DISCOVERY