"If he only knew who she was," repeated Walter, between a howl and a grunt. "Oh, if he only knew," added Ed, dragging Jack into the room, and closing the door after him. Then they saw the package. Walter grabbed it from Jack's hands. "Did she send it to us?" he asked, placing it comically on the washstand and making queer "passes" in front of it. "It's for me," insisted Ed. "She promised to send me just that very bundle," and he yanked it from the stand and placed it on the mantel. "Oh, for goodness sake, open it," interrupted Jack, glad of a good chance to get some one other than himself to attempt that uncertain proceeding. "It's light," commented Ed, giving the ends of the package an undoing twist. Walter and Jack leaned over very close. Ed stretched out his arms to keep them off. Then the paper spread open and the contents were in full sight. A mass of light-brown hair! "Oh, you--murderer!" exclaimed Ed, as loudly as the hour would politely admit. "To scalp her!" But Jack was more surprised than were his friends. "A girl's hair!" he exclaimed. "_Her_ hair!" corrected Ed. "Oh, if he only knew who _she_ was!" and his voice mocked the words Jack had uttered when he entered the room. "Jack Kimball!" ejaculated Walter. "This is the 'unkindest cut of all.'" "We denounce you!" added Ed. "This is outrageous!" Jack looked closely at the severed locks. "A pretty color," he mused. "Sort of burnished gold!" This attempt at the poetical brought the unrestrained wrath of his companions on his head, for both Walter and Ed simply "fell to," and pounded Jack "good and proper." He begged for mercy. Then they did let him go. "Now, honest Injun," started Walter, "tell us about it." But the strange race through the hedge was really too unusual to be comprehended or believed at once. Still Jack insisted upon every detail of the affair, and his friends finally did believe a part of it, at least. "And whose locks do you suppose they are?" asked Ed when the opportunity for that question arrived. "If I--only--knew!" reiterated Jack. "Let me see!" murmured the prudent Walter. "What was the shade of hair worn by the runaways of the strawberry patch? If I mistake not----" "You win!" interrupted Jack. "They were strawberry blondes!" "And it's as clear as the nose on your face that they had to cut the locks off--that they are here in the hotel at this very moment----" He was actually jumping into his outer clothes. "Where are you going?" demanded Jack. "To find Rose," insisted Ed. "My Rose--or was she your Rose--and is she my Nellie?" "For goodness sake, man!" wailed Jack, "don't make any further fuss around here to-night. The ladies and the girls will be scared to death if you start chasing my--shadow. We have got to-morrow to investigate. If the runaways are here to-night they will be here to-morrow."