CHAPTER XXII
AT THE SEASHORE
Toward the end of August the Barlows' visit drew toward its close.Although Patty was sorry to have her cousins go, yet she looked forwardwith a certain sense of relief to being once more alone with her father.
"It's lovely to have company," she confided to her Aunt Alice one day,"and I do enjoy it ever so much, only somehow I get tired of ordering andlooking after things day after day."
"All housekeepers have that experience, Patty, dear," said Aunt Alice,"but they're usually older than you before they begin. It is a great dealof care for a girl of sixteen, and though you get along beautifully, I'msure it has been rather a hard summer for you."
So impressed was Mrs. Elliott with these facts that she talked to Mr.Fairfield about the matter, and advised him to take Patty away somewherefor a little rest and change before beginning her school year again.
Mr. Fairfield agreed heartily to this plan, expressed himself as willingto take Patty anywhere, and suggested that some of the Elliotts go, too.
When Patty's opinion was asked, she said she would be delighted to goaway for a vacation, and that she had the place all picked out.
"Well, you are an expeditious young woman," said her father. "And whereis it that you want to go?"
"Why, you see, papa, the 1st of September, when Bob and Bumble go homefrom here, Nan isn't going back with them; she's going down to SpringLake. That's a place down on the New Jersey coast, and I've never beenthere, and she says it's lovely, and so I want to go there."
"Well, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't," said Mr. Fairfield. "Itwould suit me well enough, if Nan is willing we should follow in herfootsteps."
"I'm delighted to have you," said Nan, who was in a hammock at the otherend of the veranda when this conclave was taking place.
"I wish we could go with the crowd," said Bob, who was perched on theveranda railing.
"I wish so, too," said Bumble; "but wishing doesn't do any good. Afterthat letter father wrote yesterday, I think the best thing for us to dois to scurry home as fast as we can."
So the plans were made according to Patty's wish, and a few days afterthe Barlow twins returned to their home, a merry party left Vernondalefor Spring Lake.
This party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Elliott and Marian, Mr. Fairfield,Patty, and Nan.
They had all arranged for rooms in the same hotel to which Nan was going,and where her parents were awaiting her.
Marlborough House was its name, and very attractive and comfortable itlooked to the Vernondale people as they arrived about four o'clock oneafternoon in early September.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen proved to be charming people who were more than readyto show any courtesies in their power to the Fairfields, who had sokindly entertained Nan.
Although an older couple than the Elliotts, they proved to be congenialcompanions, and after a day or two the whole party felt as if they hadknown each other all their lives. Acquaintances ripen easily at theseashore, and Patty soon came to the conclusion that she was beginningwhat was to be one of the pleasantest experiences of her life.
And so it proved; although Mr. Fairfield announced that Patty had comedown for a rest, and that there was to be very little, if any, gaietyallowed, yet somehow there was always something pleasant going on.
Every day there was salt-water bathing, and this was a great delight toPatty. The summer before, at her uncle's home on Long Island, she hadlearned to swim, and though it was more difficult to swim in the surf,yet it was also more fun. Nan was an expert swimmer, and Marian knewnothing of the art, but the three girls enjoyed splashing about in thewater, and were never quite ready to come out when Aunt Alice or Mrs.Allen called to them from the beach.
In the afternoons there were long walks or drives along the shore, andthe exercise and salt air soon restored to Patty the robust health andstrength which her father feared she had lost during the summer.
In the evening there was dancing--sometimes hops, but more often informaldancing among the young people staying at the hotel. All three of ourgirls were fond of dancing, and excelled in the art, but Patty wasespecially graceful and skillful.
The first Saturday night after their arrival at Marlborough House, alarge dance was to be held, and this was really Patty's first experienceat what might be termed a ball.
She was delighted with the prospect, and her father had ordered her abeautiful new frock from New York, which proved to be rather longer thanany she had as yet worn.
"I feel so grown up in it," she exclaimed, as she tried it on to show herfather. "I think I'll have to do up my hair when I wear this grandcostume; It doesn't seem just right to have it tied up with a littlegirl hair-ribbon."
"Patty, my child, I do believe you're growing up!" said her father.
"I do believe I am, papa; I'm almost seventeen, and I'm taller than AuntAlice now, and a lot taller than Marian."
"It isn't only your height, child, you always were a big girl. But youseem to be growing up in other ways, and I don't believe I like it Iwas glad when you were no longer a child, but I like to have you alittle girl, and I don't believe I'll care for you a bit when you're ayoung woman."
"Now, isn't that too bad!" said Patty, pinching her father's cheek. "Isuppose I'll have to suit myself with another father--I'm sure I couldn'tlive with anybody who didn't like me a bit. Well, perhaps Uncle Charleywill adopt me; he seems to like me at any age."
"Oh, I'll try and put up with you," said her father, kissing her. "Andmeantime, what's this talk about piling up your hair on top of your head.Is it really absolutely necessary to do so, if you wear this fripperyconfection of dry-goods?"
"Oh, not necessary, perhaps, but I think it would look better. At anyrate, I'll just try it."
"Well, you don't seem to be standing with very _reluctant_ feet," saidher father. "I believe you're rather anxious to grow up, after all; butrun along, chicken, and dress your hair any way you please. I want you tohave a good time at your first ball."
As Frank Elliott and Kenneth Harper and Mr. Hepworth came down to SpringLake to stay over Sunday, the party of friends at Marlborough House wasconsiderably augmented. When the young men arrived the girls were lazilybasking on the sand, and Nan was pretending to read a book to the othertwo. Only pretending, however, for Patty kept interrupting her withnonsensical remarks, and Marian teased her by slowly sifting sand throughher fingers onto the pages of the book.
"I might as well try to read to a tribe of wild Indians as to you twogirls," said Nan at last. "Don't you _want_ your minds improved?"
"Do you think our superior minds _can_ be improved by that trash you'rereading?" said Patty. "I really think some of your instructiveconversation would benefit us more greatly."
"You're an ungrateful pair," said Nan, "and you don't deserve that Ishould waste my valuable conversation upon you. And you don't deserve,either, that I should tell you to turn your heads around to see who'scoming--but I will."
Her hearers looked round quickly, and saw three familiar figures comingalong the board walk.
"Goody!" cried Patty, and scrambling to her feet, she ran withoutstretched hands to meet them.
She didn't look very grown up then, in her blue-serge beach dress and herhair in a long thick braid down her back, and curling round her templesin windblown locks; but to Mr. Hepworth's artist eye she looked morebeautiful than he had ever seen her.
Kenneth Harper, too, looked admiringly at the graceful figure flyingtoward them across the sand, but Frank shouted:
"Hello, Patty, don't break your neck! we're coming down there.Where's Marian?"
"She's right here," answered Patty; "we're all right here. Your mother'sup on the veranda. Oh, I'm so glad to see you! This is the loveliestplace, and we're having the beautifullest time; and now that you boyshave come, it will be better than ever. And there's going to be a hoptonight! Isn't that gay? Oh, how do you do, Mr. Hepworth?"
Though Patty's manner took on a shade more of dignity in address
ing theolder man, it lost nothing in cordiality, and he responded with words ofglad greeting.
Hearing the laughter and excitement, Aunt Alice and Mrs. Allen came downfrom the veranda to sit on the sand by the young people. Soon Mr.Fairfield and Mr. Allen and Mr. Elliott, returning from a stroll, joinedthe party.
The newcomers produced divers and sundry parcels, which they turned overto the ladies, and which proved to contain various new books andmagazines and delicious candies and fruits.
"It's just like Christmas!" exclaimed Patty. "I do love to have thingsbrought to me."
"You're certainly in your element now, then," said Mr. Fairfield, lookingat his daughter, who sat with a fig in one hand and a chocolate in theother, trying to open a book with her elbows.
"I certainly am," she responded. "The only flaw is that I suppose it'sabout time to go in to dinner. I wish we could all sit here on thesand forever."
"You'd change your mind when you reached my age," said Mrs. Allen. "I'mquite ready to go in now and find a more comfortable chair."
Later that evening Patty, completely arrayed for the dance, came to herfather for inspection.
"You look very sweet, my child," he said after gazing at her long andearnestly; "and with your hair dressed that way you look very much likeyour mother. I'm sorry you're growing up, my baby, I certainly am; but Isuppose it can't be helped unless the world stops turning around. And ifit's any satisfaction to you, I'd like to have you know that your fatherthinks you the prettiest and sweetest girl in all the country round."
"And aren't you going to tell me that if I only behave as well as I look,I'll do very nicely?"
"You seem to know that already, so I hardly think it's necessary."
"Well, I'll tell it to you, then; for you do look so beautiful inevening clothes that I don't believe you _can_ behave as well as youlook. Nobody could."
"I see your growing up has taught you flattery," said her father, "ahabit you must try to overcome."
But Patty was already dancing down the long hall to Aunt Alice's room,and a few moments later they all went down to the parlours.
When Kenneth first saw Patty that evening, he stood looking at her with afunny, stupefied expression on his face.
"What's the matter?" said Patty, laughing. "Just because I'm wearing afew extra hairpins you needn't look as if you'd lost your last friend."
"I--I feel as if I ought to call you Miss Fairfield."
"Well, call me that if you like, I don't mind. Call me Miss Smith or MissBrown, if you want to--I don't care what you call me, if you'll only askme to dance."
"Come on, then," said Kenneth; and in a moment they were whirling in thewaltz, and the boy's momentary embarrassment was entirely forgotten.