restive and showed an inclination to take the conversation into her own hands; and Dick agreeably acquiesced, watching interestedly to see what its trend would be. At first it was all eulogistic of the view and the coolness of the air and his cleverness in hunting out so perfect a place to carry on his work; and then she turned to McKnight with condolences that he had been less fortunate in finding a satisfactory place to stay during his sojourn in the Islands. He suffered so dreadfully from the heat, she explained to Dick, being accustomed to a cooler climate. It was such a pity; and there was not another house to be had on Tantalus, not one; they had been inquiring today.
Dick sympathized, and suggested a period at the Volcano, where the altitude makes for cooler weather; but that would not do at all; for, as Kat said, he had matters to attend to in Honolulu, and could not go farther away. No, Tantalus was the only possible place; and really was tantalizing because of being so near, and yet without so much as a bunk where he could put up for a couple of weeks, until he could finish what he had to do here. And then she waited for Dick's hospitable impulses to produce the desired response.
However, the response was not forthcoming. Dick sympathized some more and then turned the subject; but Kat brought it back with the attack direct. Couldn't he take a friend in for just that
