"
"Now don't you start to tease me," returned Dick, his face redder
than ever. "I guess Dora always gave you a good time, too."
"That's right, she did," said Tom. And then he added: "Did she say
anything about the Lanings?" For the Laning girls, Nellie and Grace,
were cousins to Dora Stanhope, and Tom and Sam thought almost as much
of them as Dick did of Dora.
"To be sure she did," replied Dick. "But I guess it's--well, it's a
secret."
"A secret!" shouted Sam. "Not much, Dick! Let us in on it at once!"
"Yes, do!" put in Tom.
"But it may prove a disappointment."
"We'll chance it," returned Tom.
"Well then, Dora wrote that if she and her mother could find a nice
cottage at Los Angeles or Santa Barbara they were going to invite
Nellie and Grace to come out and keep house with them for six months
or so."
"Hurrah!" cried Sam enthusiastically. "I hope they come. If they do,
won't the six of us just have boss times!" And his face glowed with
anticipation.
"We can certainly have good times if Mrs. Stanhope's health will
permit," said Dick. "Here we are at the hotel."
He uttered the last words as the carriage came to a stop at the curb.
He leaped out and so did the others; and a few minutes later found
them safe and sound in the hotel. They were assigned to a large room
on the third floor, and hither they made their way, followed by their
trunks, and then began to wash and dress up, preparatory to going
down to the dining room, for the journeying around since breakfast
had made them hungry.
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