The Quest of Happy Hearts Part 4

"I like adventuring for happy hearts, don't you?"

"So do I--"

"And I--"

"And I!"

"I believe Aunt Janice was the first one on our chain."

"I believe you are right, Janey--" and Nora smiled around on the group--"we shall count her as the first link of joy on our quest of adventuring for happy hearts!"

"Lovely!" exclaimed Janey--"I wonder who will be the next?"

"I wonder, too--" Nora replied, as they watched the retreating "knights"

disappearing down the shadowy forest trail!

CHAPTER VI

MARTY AND JERRY

Don and Harry, starting down the trail, had cautioned the girls to wait where they were, until they received the signal to come and join them, or otherwise.

"It may be just a deserted cabin that belongs to Aunt Janice, and that we can claim if she's willing--" then the boys had hastened on deeper into the forest.

"Suppose--" Harry began, "that we find that the log cabin, so hidden away, has something to do with the secret of the tower room!"

"Then we won't investigate, because Aunt Janice doesn't seem to want us to know."

In another moment, as they came nearer the hut, voices could be heard speaking inside, and a dog began to bark furiously.

"Be quiet, 'Gem'--down--down--who's there?"

The boys, waiting a few feet away, replied, "Harry and Donald Meredith; we were just exploring and thought we'd come up and see if anyone was occupying the cabin, but your dog sounds mean."

The door had opened by this time, while a boy, holding "Gem" by the collar, appeared.

"Oh, 'Gem' is our protector, you see. Marty and I are alone at night sometimes, when Grandfather's away foresting; you are from the Castle then?"

"We're visiting our Aunt Janice; she gave us a basket of lunch and said we might have a day of exploration."

"Then, we were also to gather greens and wild ferns, for a party that she is giving for us later."

"How nice!" a bright-eyed girl had joined her brother at the door.

She nudged him quickly as a reminder.

"Why don't you ask them in, Jerry?"

The boy smiled--"This is Marty, my sister--and she's wondering if you won't come in--see, 'Gem' is quite friendly now, since he sees that you are also friends!"

Don and Harry stooped to pat the small dog, capering around at their feet.

"Thanks--" they both replied, "but we left Nora, Janey--Beth and Alice, behind; they were waiting for us to make a discovery here."

The small girl clapped her hands impulsively.

"Girls--" she cried, "there are girls too, Jerry!"

Jerry looked as pleased as his sister--"Go and bring them along, Marty--they may be afraid of 'Gem.'"

In a flash, Marty disappeared down the trail.

Nora was watching and came to meet her. She noted at a glance, the worn, shabby red dress, but neat appearance, of the small stranger of the forest cabin.

"I've come for you--" Marty began timidly--"Jerry said you were afraid to come nearer he guessed, but 'Gem' is friendly now--come!"

Nora held out a hand in greeting.

"We shall love to if you'll have us--" she smiled, as Janey, Beth and Alice joined her.

"We want you all," Marty said at once, and indicated that they follow her lead.

"This is our home--Jerry and I and Grandfather live here, together."

"How nice! We are all on a visit to Aunt Janice Meredith, and I'm sure she'll be willing for us to come and see you often."

Marty gave a little gasp.

"The castle must be a grand place to live--but--" she hesitated,--"but one evening late, we were pa.s.sing there, and I thought I saw something white waving from a window--Grandfather said though, not to say anything about it, but I forgot; he called it, the story of the tower room--Do you know it?"

She looked inquiringly at Nora, who shook her head quickly.

"Aunt Janice hasn't told us yet, but we know it makes her sad, and so we don't mean to try and find out, you see!"

"It's a secret, I guess--" Marty continued, "and of course secrets must be kept."

"We're making Aunt Janice happy again," Beth beamed, "she told us so herself!"

They had gathered in front of the cabin now, and the boys began to cast wishful eyes at the lunch basket.

"Let's have our picnic right here under this big tree, if Marty and Jerry are willing; it's been quite a while since breakfast!"

"Oh, of course--it will be lots of fun to have you," they both joined at once in the invitation. "We usually wait for Grandfather for awhile, but if he's too long in coming, we have dinner without him."

"You are to be our guests today though, and the more the merrier,--Aunt Janice said that of us; let's spread the table."