"Here's what I think," said Rip seriously. "We ought to make a clean breast of everything those girls. Tell 'em just how we stand. I'll stake my head they'll stand for it." "Tell 'em we've been kicked out by the governor?" gasped Jeff. "Sure. A rich man's sons earning their daily bread by the sweat of their brow. Horrible ogre of a father, d'ye see? Romance of the highest order. By ginger, Jeff, I'm strong for it. It's honest work and I'm not ashamed of it." The Barrows girls witnessed the strange spectacle of two brothers in quest of golf-balls shaking hands with each other in the centre of a wire-grass swamp, and blinked their beautiful eyes in amazement. At the "nineteenth hole," over tea and highballs, the Van Winkle twins made humble confession to the high priestesses of W----. They did not spare themselves. On the contrary, they confessed their utter worthlessness and paid homage to the father who had sent them out in the world to retrieve themselves. "And what do you think of the scheme?" asked Rip at the end of a lengthy and comprehensive explanation of the project in mind. "Fine!" cried the two girls in a breath. "Then, the first thing to do is to convince the club that it needs a professional," said Jeff eagerly. He was looking into Beppy's big brown eyes. "But it doesn't need TWO," spoke Toots. The four faces fell. "I never thought of that," murmured Jeff. "The Wayside Club has no instructor," cried Rip, grasping at a straw. "But no one thinks of going to Wayside," protested Toots. "They are perfectly dreadful." "Still they could be taught how to play golf," said Rip. "In any event, beggars can't be choosers. We both want to stay in W----." "Well, there's only one way out of it," said Beppy quickly. "You, Ripley, apply to the Wayside for the position. Jefferson has already spoken for the place here." "He has not!" exclaimed Toots indignantly. "He has! I am on the golf committee, so that settles it. I'll call a meeting of the committee tomorrow--" "I don't see why Ripley should be sacrificed--" "Wait, girls," broke in Ripley with a laugh. "It's very flattering to us, but please don't quarrel on our account. We can settle it nicely by flipping a coin." "Heads," said Jefferson without hesitation. He won. "Sorry, old chap." "We shall have to join Wayside," lamented Toots. "Oh, how I hate it." "I wouldn't join until you see whether I land the place," advised Ripley. "I suppose I COULD go to some other city." Both girls uttered such a harmonious protest against that alternative, that he said he wouldn't consider leaving his brother for anything in the world. "I know the president of Wayside," said Beppy consolingly. "He used to be in business with father. I'll see him tomorrow and tell him---" "See him TODAY," advised Toots firmly.