The horseman came closer.
Suddenly Shirley gave an exclamation of delight. She had recognized the
visitor even at this distance, which was too great for the others to
perceive his identity. Mabel looked at her chum in astonishment.
"Dick!" cried Shirley.
Now Mabel understood, and even Mr. Willing allowed a slight smile to
steal across his face.
Shirley ran down the steps from the porch and hurried toward the distant
yard gate. The girl and the horseman arrived at about the same time, and
those on the porch saw the rider lift his cap and dismount.
Then he led the horse through the gate, closed it behind him and with
the bridle in his hand continued his way to the house afoot, Shirley
walking by his side.
"Dick!" cried Shirley again, as the rider dismounted at the gate upon
sight of her. "What are you doing here? I am glad to see you."
"I was in Paris on a little business," replied the young man, "and I
thought I wouldn't go away without paying my respects to you and your
father."
At the house Mr. Willing greeted the young man warmly, for, from
previous meetings, he had taken a liking to Dick.
Dick Stanley was a native of Cincinnati, O. He was without parents, and
after having met Shirley under exciting circumstances, he had given up a
rough set of companions and at length had obtained a place as office boy
on one of the big Louisville newspapers. But Dick had not remained an
office boy long, and he was now one of the most competent and best liked
reporters on the paper.
He had been sent to Paris for a certain piece of news--"on a story," in
his words, the words of the newspaper world--and he had just completed
his work successfully. Therefore he had hired a horse and come to the
Willing farm for a few words with his friends before going back to
Louisville.
"I'm glad to see you, young man," said Mr. Willing in greeting. "It has
been some time since we have had the pleasure of your company."
"Thank you, sir," was the reply. "I am always glad to be here."
He shook hands with Mr. Ashton and Mabel.
Now Shirley proceeded to tell him of the trip they were going to take,
and Dick was greatly interested.
"I should like to see the canal," he said. "I have been reading quite a
bit about it, and it is very interesting."
"You are right, young man," agreed Mr. Willing.
"It is one of the wonders of the world." He paused, struck by a sudden
idea. Then he said slowly, looking squarely at Dick:
"How would you like to go with us?"
"I'd like it fine," declared Dick, with a smile. "I wish it could be
done."
"Well, it can be done," said Mr. Willing quietly.
Dick, as well as Shirley and Mabel, looked at Mr. Willing in surprise.
"Dad!" exclaimed Shirley. "What do you mean?"
"Just what I say," was the reply. "I am going to take Dick with us."
Dick shook his head slowly.
"I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Willing," he said quietly, "but I
cannot accept such generosity."
"Can't, eh?" blustered Mr. Willing, "and why not, I'd like to know. I am
not in the habit of having my invitations refused, sir!"
Again Dick smiled.
"It is very kind of you to ask me," he said, "but I do not feel that I
should accept. Of course, I have the money for the trip, but I do not
feel I can afford to spend it. Besides, I could not leave the paper for
so long a time."
"Couldn't leave the paper!" echoed Mr. Willing.
"I'll speak a few words to my friend Col. Harperson, the owner, and he
will see that you are given an indefinite vacation."
"No, sir, thank you, I don't think it can be done."
"I'll tell you," said Mr. Willing, trying a new line, for he had made up
his mind to have Dick accompany them, "you will be able to do some
writing on the trip. The sights you will see should mean money to you.
You should be able to write many interesting articles when you get
back."
Dick apparently was impressed with this line of reasoning. And now
Shirley added her voice to the colonel's.
"Please, come, Dick?" she said.
"Well," said the young man after hesitating a long while, "I'll tell you
what I'll do. If I can make arrangements to get off indefinitely, I'll
go."
Shirley clapped her hands.
"I'm sure you can," she cried.
And Mr. Willing muttered to himself:
"I'll fix it with Harperson!"
The discussion of the trip now became general, and Dick was acquainted
with the time they expected to depart.
"You will remain here over night, of course," said Mr. Willing.
"Thank you, sir, I shall be glad to."
"Then we'll put off our shopping till to-morrow, Mabel," said Shirley.
All day the three young people talked eagerly of the coming trip, and
Shirley tried to get Dick to promise that he would go, whether he was
able to get off or not. But this Dick would not do.
"If they agree to let me off, all right," was his decision.
They sat up and talked till late that night, but Mr. Willing finally put
an end to this conversation.
"Shirley," he said severely, "are you going to keep that young man
talking all night? How do you expect him to catch the early train in the
morning?"
"Well, I would have gone any time he told me," pouted Shirley.
"I don't suppose he would have told you if you had kept him talking all
night," replied Mr. Willing dryly.
Dick arose and bade the others good night. A few moments later Shirley
and Mabel retired to their room, where they lay for a long time before
sleep overcame them, so excited were they at the prospect of the great
trip.
"I'm glad Dick is going," said Mabel, "but I don't suppose I am half as
glad as you are."
"Why not?" demanded Shirley.
"Oh, just because," replied Mabel, laughing.
"I don't see anything to laugh at," declared Shirley.
"You don't? No, I guess you don't. Do you know, I'd give a whole lot if
some nice boy like Dick would come all this way to see me."
"He came to see you as well as me," said Shirley.
"Oh no he didn't. If I had been the only girl here, Dick would not have
been on hand to-day. Besides, if it wasn't for you I'm sure he wouldn't
even think of taking the trip to San Francisco."
"But he wants to see something of the Panama Canal."
"My goodness! you didn't use to be so dense," exclaimed Mabel.
"Dense?" repeated Shirley. "What do you mean, Mabel?"
"That's right, keep it up," exclaimed Mabel. "I won't say anything more.
Are you going into town to-morrow?"
"Yes, I thought we would go in as soon as Dick had gone."
"That suits me. We'll have to get a lot of things."
"I should say so. Why, I haven't a single decent thing to wear."
"We'll put in a good supply, so we won't have to buy anything while we
are away. My! but won't it be a nice trip?"
"Won't it though. I can hardly wait for the time to come."
"Nor I. But let's get some sleep or we won't want to get up in the
morning."
Both closed their eyes and tried to sleep. But they had too much on
their minds to go to sleep immediately, and it was long minutes before
drowsiness overcame them and they lost themselves, only to dream that
they were sailing across the ocean.
The following morning they accompanied Dick to Wright's station, where
he took a train for Lexington. There he would have to change for
Louisville.
"Let us know as soon as possible?" called Shirley, as he climbed aboard.
"I will," replied Dick. "I'll write immediately I have learned one thing
or the other."
The train moved away.
Shirley and Mabel returned to the house, where Mr. Willing was waiting
for them with the automobile.
"Ashton and I have decided to do a little shopping on our own hook," he
explained. "We want to spruce up a bit. Daughter, do you suppose there
will be any nice-looking, middle-aged ladies aboard the boat? If so, why
Ashton and I--"
"Dad!" interrupted Shirley.
"Well, all right. Of course if you object," said Mr. Willing.
All the rest of the day the girls put in shopping. Dresses and frocks
for all occasions they bought, besides a couple of outing costumes.
"I don't know how long it takes to get to San Francisco from New York,"
said Shirley, "so we had best be prepared."
But when the day was over they found they had not completed their
shopping, and would have to return again on the morrow.
Mr. Willing, during the day, transacted his business and found out the
date of sailing from New York. Taking it for granted that Dick would
accompany them, he purchased a ticket and made accommodations for him as
well as the others.
"How long shall we be gone, Dad?" asked Shirley, as the automobile sped
homeward.
"Well, let's see. This is the fourth of June. We shall leave New York on
the fifteenth. I should say we would be back by the middle of August."
"And will we come back the same way?"
"No; we'll come back by rail. One way by boat will be enough. You'll
have seen plenty of water by the time you reach San Francisco."
"I hope Dick decides to go with us," said Shirley.
"And so do I," declared Mabel.
"Oh, he'll go, all right," remarked Mr. Willing.
And the latter was right. Three days later Shirley stood before her
father with an open letter in her hand.
"It's from Dick," she explained. "He says he is going with us."
Mr. Willing chuckled.
"I see Harperson is still a friend of mine," he muttered to himself.