We had reached the hotel by this time, and with a wild "ki yi" Ptolemy dashed for the shore, dragging the delighted Diogenes with him. "It's only fair to Huldah to take one more off her hands," Silvia said apologetically. "Them Three is what bothers me," I complained. "If they, too, follow after, Heaven help them! I won't." "It's a good arrangement all around," declared Rob. "I judge it takes a Polydore to understand his ilk, so the kids can pair off together. Miss Wade will be company for you, while Lucien and I go fishing." He looked keenly at Beth as he spoke, but Beth was looking demurely down and made no sign of having heard him. Silvia and I went with Beth to her room, and then she told her story. "Knowing Lucien's failing, I was not surprised at receiving no response to my letter. When I got out of the cab in front of your house, a wild-looking boy, very bas-relief as to eyes, and who I felt sure must be Ptolemy of the Polydores, appeared. As soon as he saw me he gave utterance to a blood-curdling yell of--'Here she is!' "In response to his call three of his understudies came on with headlong greeting. "'You are Beth, aren't you?' Ptolemy asked me. Then he drew me aside and in mysterious whispers told me where you were and that you had written me to join you here. He added that stepdaddy never remembered to mail letters. I went within and interviewed Huldah who confirmed his information. "Presently I saw a taxi stop before the house. "'That's him!' exclaimed Ptolemy. "'Him who?' I asked. "'Rob somebody--stepdaddy's college chum. He wrote he was coming, and they thought they had postponed him.' "With a sprint of speed the four Polydores surrounded your Mr. Rossiter, all talking at once. I came to the rescue, of course, and explained the situation, and we decided to follow you. "Ptolemy was promoter for the trip and suggested the advisability of his accompanying us as courier and future nursemaid to Diogenes. He was intending to come anyway, but thought he'd wait for us. He had all his belongings packed." "He hasn't many except those he had on," said Silvia thoughtfully. "He has some swimming trunks, two collars, two shirts, some mismated socks, homemade fishing tackle and a battered baseball bat. We came away surreptitiously to escape detection by the trio left behind. I knew you wouldn't welcome his presence--but he said he was coming anyway, so we thought we might as well bring him and express him back." After visiting with Beth for a few moments, Silvia and I withdrew to talk matters over confidentially. "All's well that ends well," I quoth. "It hasn't ended yet," reminded Silvia. "I trust Ptolemy didn't reveal what you said about Rob's being a woman-hater and Beth a flirt." Ptolemy conveniently appeared just then, as he generally did in the midst of private interviews. Silvia asked him if he had repeated those remarks to Beth or Rob.