"But it's not a warm night now," declared Mrs. Burnside, when she had reached the open air, and had found out for herself how wet at least three of the party were. "We must manage to dry you all, somehow." "I hope you people are satisfied," Max reiterated. It was the fourth time he had said it. "Of course we're satisfied!" cried Sally, with spirit. "Who wants a camping party without any adventures? We can't have bears here in our pine grove, so we have thunderstorms." "Thunderstorms! That was a cyclone, if it was anything!" growled Max. "If it was, we're safe from ever having another!" cried Bob. "They never hit the same place twice, I'm told. Hello, there comes a lantern through the hedge. Thought Mr. Ferry'd be looking us up." "Ship ahoy!" called a hailing voice. "All hands on deck? Shall I man a lifeboat? Well, well," in astonishment, as he came nearer, "where are you, anyhow? Where's the tent?" "Don't look so high up!" Jarvis called back. "Lower your glass to the horizon line. We're out in the open sea!" Ferry surveyed the group by the light of his lantern. "Anybody get wet?" he asked. "Yes, I should say you did. See here, you wet ones, don't delay a minute, for the storm has made the air twenty degrees cooler. Run over to our house. Mother's expecting you all." "We can't all get inside your house!" chuckled Bob. "Let's go into our own," urged Sally. "Max has the key, and we can carry in the cots--they're not wet--and have a fire in the big fireplace--" Bob pinched her arm. "Say, Sis, it's a chance for you to get into the house." "Of course it is," Sally whispered back, her eyes dancing in the light from the lantern. "I think that is the best plan, don't you, Max?" questioned Jarvis. Max nodded reluctantly. No matter how hospitably the tiny cottage might be thrown open for their reception, it would certainly be overtaxing its capacity to attempt to make nine extra people comfortable there for the remainder of the night--it was barely one o'clock. "We'll gladly stretch the walls to take you all in," said Donald Ferry, "but perhaps the big house plan is the better. Suppose you ladies go over and let mother satisfy her longing to be of use by making Miss Sally dry, while we fellows get the cots into the house, and bring over some wood from our pile for the fireplace. It will need open windows and a rousing fire in there to freshen the musty air." "Jarvis, you must come, too--you and Bob. You're both very wet," urged Mrs. Burnside. "Yes, go over, Burnside, and ask mother for some dry clothes of mine," said Ferry. "Bob--" "I've got some dry clothes packed away somewhere in the tent, if I can only find where they've gone to," answered Bob. "I'll work myself dry," and Jarvis suited the action to the word by beginning to unfasten the guy ropes. "Jarvis!" It was his mother's voice. At the note in it, he stood up again, laughing. "All right, mother," he agreed, and walked away with her toward the cottage.