PREPARATIONS
"Hello, Betty!"
"Is Grace here?"
"Where's Amy? I heard she came this way--oh, yes, they're all here,
boys. We've found the right place."
"Just in time for five o'clock tea, aren't we!"
"What's that? Did Percy get that off? Just for that he sha'n't have any
sweet spirits of nitre!"
A chorus of laughs followed the last remarks, which, in turn, were
uttered after the rather drawling manner of a tall, slim, well-dressed
lad, whose countenance did not betoken any great amount of intelligence.
"Well, it is _time_ for five o'clock tea!" remonstrated the youth who
had been characterized by one of the girls as a "johnny" for want of a
better term.
"Oh, mercy, girls! Percy's got a wrist watch!" gasped Will Ford in
falsetto tones. "The saucy little humming bird! Zip!"
"Behave yourselves or you can't come in!" remonstrated Betty, who had
relieved the maid at the door. "What is this, anyhow; a delegation of
protest or petition?"
"Both," answered Allen Washburn, with a quick, eel-like motion that took
him past his chums and placed him at Betty's side. She blushed a little
at this act, but did not seem displeased.
"We heard you girls had been seen planning some deep-laid scheme, as you
came down the street," went on Will Ford, the brother of Grace, "and we
followed. Where is my sainted sister? Making fudge or looking to see if
some one is going to treat to sodas?"
"I wouldn't get many sodas if I depended on _you_," observed Grace, with
pointed sarcasm.
"Save me!" ejaculated Will, pretending to hide behind Percy. "Don't let
them harm me, will you, old man?"
"Stop!" remonstrated the slim chap, for Will was rather violent in his
action, and Percy Falconer was anything but robust. "Besides, you are
wrinkling my coat," he added.
"Shades of Beau Brummel!" murmured Roy Anderson, rather tousled in
appearance, but with a wholesome, boyish look about him, "Save the
wrist watch, Will."
"Say, what's the idea?" asked Mollie, a bit slangily. "Are you going to
ask us out? If you are we can't go, for we have important business to
transact."
"Yes, fellows, this is the annual session of the Associated Chocolate
Fiends," spoke Will. "If you interrupt you'll be fined a box of
caramels."
The laughing boys and girls crowded into the library. It was not an
unusual occurrence for them all to thus gather at Betty's home, which
seemed to be a rendezvous for such little parties. But the boys seldom
came in such numbers.
"I wonder why they brought that--Percy," whispered Betty, when she had a
chance at Grace's ear.
"No danger--they didn't _bring_ him--he _attached_ himself," replied
Grace. For, be it known, Percy was not very well liked. The boys did not
care for him because of his too well-dressed appearance, and his lack of
appreciation of manly sports. And the girls did not like him--well, for
as much a reason as anything, because Betty did not care for him.
Percy Falconer was, or imagined he was, very fond of Betty. And, to tell
more of the truth, Betty distinctly did not care for Percy, though he
tried to show her attentions. Now if it had been Allen Washburn, the
young law student--well, that is an entirely different story. But as
Allen was present on this occasion, the presence of Percy was rather
mitigated.
"Girls, we've got news for you!" exclaimed Will, when he and the others
had more or less carefully distributed themselves about the library.
"Fine and dandy news!"
"The best ever!" added Henry Blackford, with a nod at Amy, who still
clung to her modest place behind the palm.
"And, if you're real good, we'll let you in on it," declared Allen
Washburn.
"Aren't they condescending, though," mocked Mollie. "As if we didn't
have secrets ourselves!"
"Shall we tell them?" asked Grace.
"Let's hear theirs first," suggested Betty.
"What's the matter, Percy, has your wrist watch stopped?" asked Roy
Anderson, with a chuckle, for the "johnny" was anxiously holding the
timepiece to his ear.
"I--I believe I quite forgot to wind it," was the answer.
"Serious calamity!" murmured Allen, not taking much pains to keep his
voice from Percy. That was one thing about the well-dressed youth; he
never knew when fun was being poked at him.
"No, it's going all right," Percy spoke, after a silent pause. "It's
just five," he added, with a meaning look at Betty.
She choose to ignore it, however, and at a nod from Mollie at once
plunged into the matter she and her chums had been discussing when the
boys interrupted them.
"We have taken a fine cottage at the shore--Ocean View," said Betty,
"and we girls are going to spend the summer there. Don't you boys wish
you were us?"
For a moment the young men looked at one another. Then smiles broke over
their faces, which were beginning to take on the tan that would be
deepened as the summer days approached.
"That sort of takes the edge off our news," spoke Allen. "But we'll tell
you, just the same. One of my clients," he began, "has----"
"Hark to him, would you!" broke in Will. "As if he had more than _one_
client."
"Oh, Will, can't you be quiet!" rebuked his sister. "Let Allen tell it."
"Yes," urged Roy. "Go on, old man."
"As I was saying, when interrupted by this individual," resumed Allen,
"one of my clients, who owns a large motor boat, has decided not to use
it this summer. He has offered it to me, and we boys have made up a
party to go on a cruise along the New England shore--Martha's Vineyard,
Block Island and all that, you know!"
"The New England shore!" cried Betty. "Why, that's where Ocean View
is--in New England. If you boys motor along there, can't you come to see
us?"
"Of course we can!" exclaimed Allen, quickly. "But we hoped you might be
able to take a cruise with us."
"Not a very long one, though we might go for a day or so," went on
Betty. "You see, the girls are to be my guests. We were just arranging
it when you came in. But we're awfully glad you will be down that way."
"So are we!" exclaimed Roy. "It's a dandy boat Allen has the use of.
Sleeping cabin and all that. We can live aboard her. Be out of sight of
land for a week, maybe."
"Hardly as long as that," objected Will.
"Why not?" Allen wanted to know.
"I'm expecting news, you know. My appointment--and all that."
"Oh, that's so. I forgot. Well, we could put in every now and then, to
see if there was any word for you."
"What's all this?" asked Grace, with a glance at her brother.
"Just a little secret, Sis," he answered.
"Oh, tell me!"
"Not now. Later. Now if you girls----"
"I say!" broke in Percy.
"Hello! He's come to life!" laughed Roy.
"Has your watch stopped again?" demanded Will.
"This is the first I heard about you fellows going on a cruise," went on
Percy. "I--I really, I don't know that I can quite make it, don't you
know."
"Oh, mercy! What a calamity!" whispered Allen, in the depths of a sofa
cushion.
"Will you--will you go out where it is very rough?" asked Percy.
"Rough! You should see the water along the New England coast!" cried
Henry Blackford. "Why, even when it's smoothest, a boat nearly turns on
her beam ends."
"Would one--er--would one get--er--seasick?" faltered Percy.
"One would--most decidedly!" exclaimed Roy.
"Oh, dear! Then I don't believe I can go," went on the other. "But my
father has promised to go for a tour in our motor car, and I may be
able to induce him to take in the New England shore. It would be
horribly jolly if I could, now; wouldn't it? What? Ha! Ha!" and he
beamed on the assembled crowd of young people.
"Most beastly delightful!" mocked Will, in a low voice.
"Where's your place, Betty?" asked Allen.
The Little Captain told him, and the two moved off by themselves for a
little chat.
"Say, Will, why don't you want to get too far from shore?" asked Grace
of her brother. "What's the secret? I think you might tell me!"
"I will when the time comes," he said, coolly.
"You're not going back to Uncle Isaac's factory; are you?"
"Father Neptune forbid! No."
For, as a punishment for a school scrape, Will had been sent to work in
a cotton factory owned by a relative. And, unable to stand the hard
conditions there, he had run away, and had had no end of hard times in a
turpentine camp, until, on their trip to Florida, the outdoor girls had
been instrumental in rescuing him.
"No, I'm not going back there," Will said. "It's a new line of work,
Sis, and while I'm waiting for a certain appointment I think I'll go on
this cruise with Allen and the others."
"And do you think you'll come to see us at Ocean View?"
"We certainly will!"
A little later the conference of young people broke up. The boys said
they must make preparations for their motor boat outing, and naturally
Grace, Mollie and Amy were anxious to lay before their folks the
invitation from Betty.
"But I'm sure they'll let you come," the latter said. Later that day she
received telephone messages from her chums, stating that they could go
to the seashore.
"Then get ready as soon as you can!" urged Betty.
"We will," promised Grace. Then as she carried up to her room a box of
chocolates she had purchased--the third that day--she murmured to
herself: "I wonder what that secret of Will's can be about? I do hope he
doesn't get into any more trouble."