The Secret of Steeple Rocks

  CHAPTER XVI

  THE DILEMMA

  From the rocky steps where they had been watching the return of BillRitter, Leslie, Sarita and Peggy plunged into the woods as soon aspossible and by that more devious route reached the Secrest camp. Theywere rather surprised to find it not yet ten o'clock, but they had spentmuch less time with Peggy, at what she called her fashion show, thanthey had expected. Then the time spent in the Retreat and in waiting forBill's appearance must have been much less than it seemed.

  When they reached the new clearing on the slight rise of ground not farfrom the spring, they found Dalton and his men hard at work and Daltonjubilant over the prospect of speedy building. Beth was sitting on apile of logs making a sketch of the place and the workers, "for us toremember how it looked," she said.

  Dalton dropped his work to join the girls and look at the sketch."Pretty good, sister," said he. "Do you know I've a great notion toplaster this house and stay here through the winter."

  "What do you mean, Dal,--stay _alone_, or no school for any of us?" Thetone of the surprised Beth was not as reproving as Dalton might haveexpected.

  "No school for anybody," asserted Dalton, though he had really notthought this out before. "It would be the best thing in the world foryou, Beth, and think what snow scenes you could immortalize with yourpen, pencil and brush!"

  "Ridiculous boy!"

  "Oh, let me board with you instead of going to Florida. I never _have_had any winter sports!" Peggy's voice was coaxing. "We'll have skiingdown the hills, that hill where you saved my life, Dal,--and skating,and ice-boating and everything on the bay!"

  Even Leslie and Sarita, who were more interested in lessons than Peggy,brightened at the thought. "Poor me!" exclaimed Sarita. "I'd have to gohome and miss it all!"

  "Vacation, Sarita," suggested Peggy, "the Christmas vacation."

  "We'll skate on our little lake, Peggy," said Dalton, "as if it werealready decided, and we can have a dog-sled to take us to town,--"

  "Crazy!" laughed Leslie. "But, Beth, I believe that Dal is in earnest."

  "Wait till he has fires to make some morning when it is below zero, iceto break, water to carry and everything frozen up."

  "Not much worse than a furnace to take care of, Beth," said the man ofthe house. "We'll have a big fireplace in one room and a big heatersomewhere, a shed full of coal, and wood on the place,--think it over.I've got to work." Whistling a little, Dalton went back to help anddirect.

  "Dalton just loves this," said Leslie, "but look, Beth, here comes Mr.Tudor."

  With a salute to everybody, Evan Tudor stopped first to speak to Dalton,then joined the other group with greetings. Peggy, remembering herimpulsive entrance of the previous day, bowed sweetly, but with dignity,while Leslie asked if he had been annoyed by the sounds of building soearly.

  "I slept as if I should never waken this morning and I have only justeaten my breakfast. There must be something in this air, as advertised!I prowled around a while last night, enjoying the woods and the shore.At this rate, it looks as if you would have a house up in no time."

  "They will," said Peggy, "and Dal is planning to make it so they canstay all winter." Peggy looked wickedly at Beth.

  Evan Tudor looked surprised, but said, "It would be very beautiful herein winter."

  "I'd like to try it once," said Leslie, "but not unless the whole familywanted to do it, for Beth might get pneumonia and then we'd be in apretty pickle!"

  "It would be lovely here, with the ice and snow," Beth acknowledged,relenting a little, "and I seldom ever take cold. I'd have to watch therest of you to see that you were not careless."

  "Oh, Beth," cried Peggy, assuming her own presence, "we'd fish throughthe ice, and Leslie and I would do the cooking!"

  Then Leslie and Sarita did laugh, for Peggy could not cook anything andhad confessed the fact before. "Well," Peggy continued, answering theirthought, "couldn't I _learn_?"

  At this point Beth glanced at her wrist watch and asked if a short tripin the Sea Crest would not be possible before lunch, in order to showMr. Tudor the bay and the rocks. "If we should be late, Dal will makethe hot coffee for the men. They bring their lunches, but we give themsomething hot, and I have everything ready, beans all cooked and somemeat."

  Everybody thought this a good plan, especially as they could take Peggyhome by launch and Jack, if he thought best. Otherwise, Jack could havebeans and coffee with Dalton. But Jack decided to go with them, forPeggy privately informed him that she must consult him about something.

  On the way to the boat, Beth exhibited the Eyrie to Mr. Tudor, whileJack, Leslie, and the other girls went on down the rocks to get thelaunch ready and start the engine. None of them were disappointed by anylack of enthusiasm on the part of their guest, for though Evan Tudor wasnot particularly voluble in his speech he gave the impression of notmissing any practical or inspirational detail in the comments which hemade.

  After the start Mr. Tudor sat or stood with Beth, who pointed out thesights, while Jack at the wheel listened to what the girls had to tellhim with Peggy as chief spokesman. He made little comment at first andthe impatient Peggy urged him, saying, "Well, Jack, why don't you go 'upin the air' about it?"

  "It is too serious, Peggy. I don't think that you know just how seriousit is. That fake English lord in the cave only proves what I have beensuspecting."

  "_What_ have you been suspecting, Jack?"

  "I'd rather not say, Peggy. Suppose we wait a little. I am thinking thatabout the twenty-eighth we may find some others of the same sort, onlypretending to carry out the house party idea with your mother, and thensome that are very likely real titled exiles."

  "But why would they do that? Why should this man hide away? Is he afraidof somebody? And why should Dad let him hide there? Just what is it thatDad is doing?"

  "I am very much afraid, Peggy, that your step-father is helping thesepeople into the country against the law, and probably for a good price.I hope that it is the Count who is doing it,--that is, I have beenhoping that, with Uncle's just letting him use the place andentertaining as his guests only some people brought here in his yachtthat really have a right to be here. But I think now that the yacht is ablind and that everybody will come in on the 'schooner.'"

  "Oh!" Peggy began to understand more clearly. "Shall I tell Mother,Jack?"

  "No. I've got to find out _what_ to do."

  But as it happened, neither Jack nor Peggy nor any of the Secrestsdecided what was to be done; and it was better so.

  The little cruise was delightful. Troubles seemed far away after theygave themselves to the lure of the water and sky and the motion of theboat. Even Peggy, who had at first been startled and distressed atJack's clear statements, seemed to forget and joked as usual with thegirls. Leslie was thoughtful, wondering what their duty was. It was notpleasant to have such a problem presented to them.

  Evan Tudor, who could run a launch quite well himself, was entirelycontent to be a passenger, visiting with the pretty artist andforgetting his quest in these parts, except to fix in mind the locationof Steeple Rocks and Pirates' Cove. He intended to go out in a row boatto investigate that region.

  Jack and Peggy were left at the dock in Ives Bay, while Leslie took thewheel for the homeward trip. This they made quickly, landing in time forBeth to superintend the hot lunch. Mr. Tudor was invited to partake, buthe thanked Beth and declined, saying that he had work to do and that hislate breakfast made a late lunch desirable.

  For Leslie and Sarita it had been a full and surprising morning. Afterlunch was over, with its work, they found a quiet place apart where theycould discuss the present dilemma.