"Wild Rose Lodge at Moonlight Falls," sighed Grace ecstatically. "If we don't have a wildly romantic time in a place with a name like that, it will be our own fault." "But we will have to have a chaperon--" Amy was beginning when Betty interrupted her eagerly. "I have fixed that," she said, and while they all looked in astonishment she went on quickly to explain. "I met Mrs. Irving in the street the other day--you know she has been away ever since that last time she was with us on Pine Island--and I asked her then if she would chaperon us this summer." "But you didn't even know then that we were going to Wild Rose Lodge, Betty," Mollie interrupted. "I knew we were sure to go somewhere. We always--" Betty was arguing when Grace cut in impatiently. "Never mind about that," she said. "Did Mrs. Irving say she would go?" "She said she was very sure she could manage it," Betty answered. "She seemed awfully surprised and said it would be great fun to be with us girls again." "It will be great fun for all of us," said Amy happily. "I'll never forget the wonderful time we had on Pine Island with Mrs. Irving and the boys." "Yes--and the boys," Betty repeated a little wistfully. She was thinking of Allen Washburn and the wonderful time they had had that never-to-be-forgotten summer--before the war had come to separate them and make their hearts ache. Oh, it would be unbelievably happy to have the boys back again--Will, Roy, Frank and--her Allen. The old crowd together once more. She looked around at the girls, who had also fallen into a thoughtful mood, and suddenly she smiled, the old bright, happy smile that was peculiarly Betty's own. "Oh, cheer up, everybody," she cried gayly. "How do we know but what the boys will be home in time to join us at Wild Rose Lodge? Then think of the fun!" "Oh, Betty, if we could only believe that!" they cried. "Well," said the Little Captain stoutly, "you never can tell. Stranger things have happened, you know." "But nothing so joyful," added Mollie. Chapter V Betty Takes a Dare It would be a week or two before Wild Rose Lodge would be ready for the girls' occupancy, and as a relief for their impatience they filled in the time in hiking, motoring and put-putting up and down the Argono in their natty little motor boat. But whatever it was they were doing, their conversation almost invariably returned to one of two subjects--the return of the boys and the good time they would have at Moonlight Falls. They spoke often of Professor Arnold Dempsey. They took a real interest in the queer little old man, both because of the service he had done them and the fact that he was watching and waiting for his two big sons, even as they were anxiously awaiting the return of their boys.