“Hey?” spoke Peter, struggling over the suggestion presented. “Oh, you mean a joke? Ha! ha! yes, indeed. Business, though, now,” and Peter tried to look shrewd and important. “We have not yet decided what we are going to do,” said Frank. “As you have overheard, we need a little more capital than what we actually have. I will remember your kind offer, and if we cannot figure it out as we hope I may speak to you on the subject later.” “I wish you would come right up to the house now and tell my Aunt Susie all about it,” pressed Peter, urgently. “I couldn’t think of it,” answered Frank. “No, you leave matters just as I suggest and we will see what may come of it.” “Say, Frank,” whispered Pep, on fire with excitement, “you don’t mean to think of encouraging this noodle; do you?” “I want to get rid of him,” answered Frank, and all hands were relieved to see the persistent Peter rise from his seat. “Oh, say,” he suddenly exclaimed—“I came for something, that’s so. My aunt wants to see you, all three of you. Miss Porter gave her your names and addresses and she wouldn’t rest until I had come down here. She wants you all to come to dinner to-morrow evening and she won’t take no for an answer.” “Why, we may not be here then,” said Frank. “Oh, you must come,” declared Peter, “now I have a chance to go in with you. I couldn’t think of your not seeing her. Look here,” and Peter winked and tried to look sly—“Aunt Susie is no tightwad. She is the most generous woman in the world. She’s minded to give you fellows a fine meal and treat you like princes. She considers that you saved her life and she can’t do too much for you. Say, on the quiet, I’ll bet she makes you a present of fifty dollars apiece.” “What for?” demanded Frank. “For getting to that burning boat and saving all hands, of course. Why, I wouldn’t take the risk you did of being blown up for a thousand dollars.” “No, I don’t think you would,” announced Pep, bluntly. “I’ll tell you,” went on their guest—“if you’ll give me a tip on the side I’ll work up Aunt Susie to a hundred dollars apiece. There, I know I can do it.” Frank bit his lip and tried to keep from losing his temper with this mean-spirited cad. Then he said with quiet dignity: “I think you had better go, Mr. Carrington, and I shall expect you to tell your aunt that we were only too glad to do a trifling service for her. Please inform her, also, that I am quite certain we shall be too busy to accept her kind invitation for to-morrow evening; in fact, we may leave Seaside Park for our home at Fairlands early in the morning.” Dauntless Peter! you could not squelch that shallow nerve of his. In a trice he shouted out: “Why! do you live at Fairlands?” “Yes,” nodded Frank, wondering what was coming next from this extraordinary youth. “Then you know Greg Grayson?” “Oh, yes,” admitted Randy. “I should think we did!” observed Pep, with a wry grimace.