She wondered what the plan was that had begun to surge but she determined to leave it to Mr. Tucker. That gentleman, whatever his idea of attack, did not immediately approach her mother but made his way to the middle of the pavilion where he awaited his chance to break in on a dance with Page Allison, his daughters' friend. "She may be part of his plan! Who knows? At any rate, I believe he is going to get us out of the trouble somehow." As Douglas and Lewis left the pavilion they took the path straight up the mountain. "Let's go this way and shake the crowd for a little while," suggested Lewis. "But we mustn't be long. Helen will have too much entertaining to do. We can't get it out of our heads that we must treat these boarders as though we were having a house-party." "Well, I reckon that's the reason you have been so successful. I have heard some of the fellows say that they never hear the chink of coin here. It really seems like a house-party." "I am so glad, but I am glad of the chink of coin, too." "But, Douglas, I did not bring you out here to talk about boarders and coin--I have got something else to say. Bill and I have just been waiting until Cousin Robert and Cousin Annette got back because we couldn't leave you without any protection----" "Leave us! Oh, Lewis!" "Do you mind really, Douglas?" "Mind? Why, I can't tell you how much I mind!" "We know we have no business staying here indefinitely and we feel we must get to work. We are going to enlist for the Mexican border. We have got over our grouch against Uncle Sam for firing us from West Point and now that he needs us, we are determined to show him we are ready to serve him in any capacity. You know we are right, don't you?" "Ye-e-s, but----" By that time Lewis had taken possession of Douglas' hands and with a voice filled with emotion, he said: "I can't bear to leave you, but now Cousin Robert is here he will make it safe for you. I have tried to help some----" "Oh, and you have! We couldn't have done a thing without you and Bill." "I don't know about that. I believe there is no limit to what you Carter girls can do--but, Douglas--honey--before I go to Mexico--I--I just have to tell you how much I love you. I don't mean like a cousin--I'm not such close kin to you after all--I mean I love you so much that the thought of leaving you is agony. You knew all the time that it was no cousin business, didn't you, Douglas?" "Why, Lewis, I never thought of such a thing. You are almost like my brother," and Douglas devoutly wished the moon would hurry up and get behind a big black cloud that was coming over the mountain.