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Outdoor Girls at Ocean View

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<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> <h3>PREPARATIONS</h3> "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[18] 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[19] 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[20] 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;[21] 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,[22] 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."[23] "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[24] 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."[25] "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."[26] <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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