CHAPTER III
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 anysweet spirits of nitre!"
A chorus of laughs followed the last remarks, which, in turn, wereuttered after the rather drawling manner of a tall, slim, well-dressedlad, whose countenance did not betoken any great amount of intelligence.
"Well, it is _time_ for five o'clock tea!" remonstrated the youth whohad been characterized by one of the girls as a "johnny" for want of abetter term.
"Oh, mercy, girls! Percy's got a wrist watch!" gasped Will Ford infalsetto tones. "The saucy little humming bird! Zip!"
"Behave yourselves or you can't come in!" remonstrated Betty, who hadrelieved the maid at the door. "What is this, anyhow; a delegation ofprotest or petition?"
"Both," answered Allen Washburn, with a quick, eel-like motion that tookhim past his chums and placed him at Betty's side. She blushed a littleat this act, but did not seem displeased.
"We heard you girls had been seen planning some deep-laid scheme, as youcame down the street," went on Will Ford, the brother of Grace, "and wefollowed. Where is my sainted sister? Making fudge or looking to see ifsome one is going to treat to sodas?"
"I wouldn't get many sodas if I depended on _you_," observed Grace, withpointed sarcasm.
"Save me!" ejaculated Will, pretending to hide behind Percy. "Don't letthem harm me, will you, old man?"
"Stop!" remonstrated the slim chap, for Will was rather violent in hisaction, and Percy Falconer was anything but robust. "Besides, you arewrinkling my coat," he added.
"Shades of Beau Brummel!" murmured Roy Anderson, rather tousled inappearance, but with a wholesome, boyish look about him, "Save thewrist watch, Will."
"Say, what's the idea?" asked Mollie, a bit slangily. "Are you going toask us out? If you are we can't go, for we have important business totransact."
"Yes, fellows, this is the annual session of the Associated ChocolateFiends," spoke Will. "If you interrupt you'll be fined a box ofcaramels."
The laughing boys and girls crowded into the library. It was not anunusual occurrence for them all to thus gather at Betty's home, whichseemed to be a rendezvous for such little parties. But the boys seldomcame in such numbers.
"I wonder why they brought that--Percy," whispered Betty, when she had achance at Grace's ear.
"No danger--they didn't _bring_ him--he _attached_ himself," repliedGrace. For, be it known, Percy was not very well liked. The boys did notcare for him because of his too well-dressed appearance, and his lack ofappreciation of manly sports. And the girls did not like him--well, foras 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 tellmore of the truth, Betty distinctly did not care for Percy, though hetried to show her attentions. Now if it had been Allen Washburn, theyoung law student--well, that is an entirely different story. But asAllen was present on this occasion, the presence of Percy was rathermitigated.
"Girls, we've got news for you!" exclaimed Will, when he and the othershad 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 stillclung to her modest place behind the palm.
"And, if you're real good, we'll let you in on it," declared AllenWashburn.
"Aren't they condescending, though," mocked Mollie. "As if we didn'thave 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 RoyAnderson, with a chuckle, for the "johnny" was anxiously holding thetimepiece 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 hisvoice from Percy. That was one thing about the well-dressed youth; henever knew when fun was being poked at him.
"No, it's going all right," Percy spoke, after a silent pause. "It'sjust five," he added, with a meaning look at Betty.
She choose to ignore it, however, and at a nod from Mollie at onceplunged into the matter she and her chums had been discussing when theboys 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 wishyou were us?"
For a moment the young men looked at one another. Then smiles broke overtheir faces, which were beginning to take on the tan that would bedeepened as the summer days approached.
"That sort of takes the edge off our news," spoke Allen. "But we'll tellyou, 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 useit this summer. He has offered it to me, and we boys have made up aparty 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 Viewis--in New England. If you boys motor along there, can't you come to seeus?"
"Of course we can!" exclaimed Allen, quickly. "But we hoped you might beable to take a cruise with us."
"Not a very long one, though we might go for a day or so," went onBetty. "You see, the girls are to be my guests. We were just arrangingit 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 ofland 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, tosee 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 onPercy. "I--I really, I don't know that I can quite make it, don't youknow."
"Oh, mercy! What a calamity!" whispered Allen, in the depths of a sofacushion.
"Will you--will you go out where it is very rough?" asked Percy.
"Rough! You should see the water along the New England coast!" criedHenry Blackford. "Why, even when it's smoothest, a boat nearly turns onher 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 myfather has promised to go for a tour in our motor car, and I may beable to induce him to take in the New England shore. It would behorribly jolly if I could, now; wouldn't it? What? Ha! Ha!" and hebeamed 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 alittle chat.
"Say, Will, why don't you want to get too far from shore?" asked Graceof her brother. "What's the secret? I think you might tell me!"
"I will wh
en 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 ina cotton factory owned by a relative. And, unable to stand the hardconditions there, he had run away, and had had no end of hard times in aturpentine camp, until, on their trip to Florida, the outdoor girls hadbeen 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 onthis 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 saidthey must make preparations for their motor boat outing, and naturallyGrace, Mollie and Amy were anxious to lay before their folks theinvitation from Betty.
"But I'm sure they'll let you come," the latter said. Later that day shereceived telephone messages from her chums, stating that they could goto 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 ofchocolates she had purchased--the third that day--she murmured toherself: "I wonder what that secret of Will's can be about? I do hope hedoesn't get into any more trouble."