"Have requested consular agent at Cida to wire you direct to Popham Landing, report of returning posse now overdue," was how Mr. Buchanan concluded the message. "And that report may be along any time, now," declared the operator, encouragingly. "You people haven't got to start back up the lake yet awhile?" "We'll stay as long as Miss Day wants to," said Nelson Haley, quickly. "Sure we'll stay," cried Marty. "Miss Maltby told me to come back by and by, and finish that mince pie I couldn't manage at dinner time. There ain't no hurry to get back to Poketown, is there?" Janice and Nelson were much amused by this frank statement of the boy; but the girl was only too glad to have the others bear out her own desire to remain within reach of the telegraph wires for a while longer. Mr. Buchanan's messages had eased her heart greatly. Janice cried a little by herself--the first tears she had shed since the night before. But even Marty respected them and did not make fun of his cousin. "Everybody is so good to me!" she cried again, when she had wiped her eyes and could smile at Marty and Nelson Haley. "And I believe it's all coming out right. This long day is going to be a _real_ Christmas Day, after all!" CHAPTER XX THE TROUBLE WITH NELSON HALEY From that time on Janice refused longer to be in what she called "the dumps." It was not her way to mope about; usually she cheered other people and did not herself stand in need of cheering. She made the operator go home to his family to spend Christmas afternoon. When his call came Marty was to run over after him. This kept the trio of friends from Poketown close to the railroad station all the afternoon; but the interval was spent quite pleasantly. Mrs. Maltby and her daughter came over, through the snow, to visit a while with Janice--and to bring Marty the pie!--and several other villagers dropped in. News of Janice's reason for being at Popham Landing had been spread abroad, and the people who came were more than curious--they were sympathetic. The pastor of one of the churches, who was well acquainted with Mr. Middler, left his own family for half an hour and came to the station to ask if he could do anything of practical use for Janice. Had it been wise the trio from Poketown could have accepted half a dozen invitations for supper and evening entertainment. "People _are_ so good!" Janice cried again to Haley and Marty. "I never realized that mere strangers could be so very, very nice to one." "Huh!" grunted Marty. "Ain't _you_ always nice to folks--an' doing something for 'em? How do you like it yourself?" which remark made Janice and Nelson Haley laugh very heartily. So, after all, it _was_ a real Christmas, as Janice said. It was an odd one, perhaps, but there were some very enjoyable things about it. For instance, Janice and the young school-teacher got far better acquainted than they had ever been before--and Janice had always liked Nelson Haley.