"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 sh.o.r.e--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 sh.o.r.e--Martha"s Vineyard, Block Island and all that, you know!"
"The New England sh.o.r.e!" 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.
"h.e.l.lo! 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 sh.o.r.e. It would be horribly jolly if I could, now; wouldn"t it? What? Ha! Ha!" and he beamed on the a.s.sembled 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 sh.o.r.e?" 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 sc.r.a.pe, 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 seash.o.r.e.
"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."
CHAPTER IV
OFF FOR OCEAN VIEW