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Outdoor Girls on Pine Island

<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> <h3>BENEATH THE MOON</h3> "I have often read about it, but I never thought I would be fortunate enough to actually see it," said Amy, clasping her hands behind her head, and gazing out at the blue of an azure sky. The four girls were seated on the steps of the veranda talking, talking over the events of the day before and speculating as to the future. "Well, it scared me nearly to death," said Grace, who was curled up on the lower step, with a cushion brought from the house acting as head rest. "I declare when I saw them drag her up on the bank, Betty, I thought that she was dead. She looked so drawn and white, and——" "Well, you couldn't expect her to look particularly rosy and happy, after all she had been through," Mollie remarked. "If I had been doused under water as long as that poor girl was I would not only have looked dead, I'd have been it." "Oh, I don't know," Grace retorted lazily.[142] "If I'm not mistaken it would take a good deal to stop that tongue of yours, Mollie." "Speak for yourself," Mollie was beginning angrily, when Betty entered into the conversation. She had been dreamily studying the shimmering ripples the soft wind had stirred upon the surface of the water. "Some day," she began in a sing-song voice, her eyes still fixed on the distance, "I'm just going to let you two go on to the bitter finish. I shouldn't wonder if you will be like the two cats of Kilkenny. You remember what they did, don't you?" "No, what?" asked Mollie, and Grace added: "We might just as well know where our bad tempers are going to land us. What did they do, Betty?" "They fought and they fit and they scratched and they bit," chanted Betty, "till instead of two cats there weren't any." "I guess we had better take warning while there is still time, Grace," said Mollie, with a little laugh. And so for the time being at least peace was restored. "But when do you suppose Anita and her brother will come to see us?" asked Amy. "I do hope it won't be very long." "I think Amy likes Conway," said Grace, then[143] turning to Betty she asked meaningly: "Do you, by any chance, believe in love at first sight?" "Oh, I think it can be done," Betty answered, her eyes twinkling with fun as she looked at Amy's flushed face. "At least, I do believe in strong attractions at the first meeting. Perhaps that is all Amy has felt just yet." "Oh, girls!" implored Amy, in an agony of bashfulness, "I don't like Conway Benton one bit more than any of the rest of you, and you know it. I think it is mean for you to tease." "Oh, Amy, dear, it is only fun," cried Betty, throwing an arm about her friend. "We don't really think that you have been smitten with a stranger's charms. Still stranger things have happened." "I don't agree with you," said Amy, and they wisely forbore to pursue the subject. "Oh, but didn't that fish taste good last night?" said Mollie, coming down to every-day matters. "I never ate anything like it in all my life." "That's because we caught it ourselves," said Grace, unconsciously voicing a common trait in human nature. "Let's take fish out of the conversation for a little while," Betty suggested, "and talk about something romantic."[144] "For instance?" Grace inquired, with uplifted eyebrows. "The gypsies," Betty answered. "Ever since the other night I've been wondering if there was anything in what that old store-keeper said." "I hope not," said Amy, with a shudder. "I am more afraid of them than anything else in the world, I think." "I don't see why," Mollie reflected. "Probably they are a great deal more afraid of us." "Well, all gypsies are akin, they say; so maybe we could find out something about Mr. Ford's Beauty and about Mrs. Billette's silver," returned Betty. "Oh, don't talk about that," cried Mollie. "It fairly makes me sick, for I'm sure we shall never hear of the things again." "I wonder when the boys are going to try to ford to the islands?" said Grace. "The tide's getting low now." "Hello! where is everybody?" it was Will's voice calling from the woods. "We are going for a paddle—who wants to come along?" "Ask us," called Betty. "We were just hoping you'd come to life." "Ah, the voice of the siren," called Will, over his shoulder. "Come on, fellows, let's break up this galaxy of beauty."[145] The boys sauntered up to the group of girls, and sprawled upon the steps wherever there was room. "Where have you kept yourselves all morning?" Mollie inquired, as Frank drew a bur from her white skirt. "If you hadn't come pretty soon, we were going over to look for you." "Oh, just around clearing up," Frank replied, with a vague little gesture. "If we had known how much you wanted to see us, we would have left some things undone." "You needn't have hurried on my account," Grace drawled. "I don't know when I have ever felt happier than I did before you came. Oh, Roy, do look out, you are sitting on my dress." Roy rose with alacrity. "Gee! a fellow can't do anything around here without getting sat on," he complained. "It seems to me it was Grace's dress that was being sat on that time, not you," Betty remarked, with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I wonder if anybody else has ever noticed," she went on, "the funny habit all you boys have of blaming somebody else for blaming you." "You're away too deep for me, Betty," Roy protested with a shake of his head. "That must be a mighty funny habit." "To change the subject," said Allen, rising and[146] stretching his arms far above his head, as if to make sure his muscles were still in good condition, "who wants to share a nice little canoe with me? Your aunt sure knew what she was doing, Mollie." "We would all like to go, I know," said Betty, with a doubtful glance at the fast sinking sun. "Only I am afraid it is pretty near dinner time." "Well, I tell you what we'll do," said Frank, with sudden inspiration. "We'll postpone our canoeing trip till to-night. There is going to be a fine moon." "What difference does that make?" Grace asked severely. "I think we had better go now, and have a fire this evening." "Oh, Grace, don't be a kill-joy," said her brother. "It is going to be too wonderful a night to spend indoors." "Well, if Mrs. Irving says so," she began, and they all knew it was settled. "Have dinner early, will you?" Roy urged, taking out his watch. "It is a quarter past five now. Can you be ready to start by six?" "Oh, long before," Mollie assured him, rising hurriedly, and starting toward the house, while the others followed her example. Then after a whispered consultation with the[147] girls at the door, she turned and threw the boys a merry glance. "If you are very good," she said, "we will let you eat with us to-night." "Fine!" cried Allen. "And biscuits, Betty?" "Biscuits," she answered. They were hilarious all during the meal. In the first place, everything was delicious, and in the second, everybody was in the best of spirits. Afterward they cleared away the dishes in no time, and the four girls, Mrs. Irving having refused to be of the party, ran upstairs to get the light wraps that were always needed at night. The boys met them outside as they rushed down laughing and breathless, and ready for a good time. "I hope it doesn't take the moon till twelve o'clock to show itself," said Will, as they made their way down the walk and on to the float where the canoes were attached. "Mrs. Irving says that we are to be back by ten o'clock at the latest." "That will give us plenty of time," Frank answered. "Don't you remember we saw it a little after seven last night?" "It's lucky these canoes are eighteen feet long," said Allen, as he unfastened the rope. "Otherwise we would have to take turns paddling."[148] "Who's going to do the work first?" asked Betty. Then she added: "I love to paddle." "If nobody has any objection," said Allen, "you shall. Grace, you drop into the middle with Frank, until it comes your turn to do the work. Betty may like it, but I must say I'd rather watch you people slave." "All right, we'll go fifty-fifty with you," Frank agreed cheerily. "Here, Grace, step in the middle—that's the way. Now we are all settled. Let her go, Captain." Allen swung himself into the stern, and deftly pushed the canoe clear of the swaying float. "All right," he sang out. "Left hand or right, Betty? It makes no difference to me. Now for the moon." "Look out, Allen, you are getting poetical," warned Betty, as she dipped her paddle into the clear water. "Many a man has reached for the moon, only to find that he had plucked some green cheese." "Are you sure it wasn't limburger?" asked Frank, mildly for so strong a subject. "Ugh, don't!" cried Grace. "How I hate even the name of the horrid stuff!" "And on a night like this, too," said Betty. "Can't we talk about something less odoriferous?"[149] "Remember you started it," said Frank defensively. "Yes, I know, but what I spoke of is such a wee little cousin to——" "Is that the dipper up there, Frank?" Grace asked, in haste to change the subject. "Somehow it doesn't look natural." Frank squinted aloft. "That's our same old friend," he said. "By the way, speaking of dippers, I am getting thirsty." "Well, I can't give you a drink, but I can feed you. Have a chocolate?" cried Grace. "Oh, Grace!" protested Betty, "you never brought chocolates along?" "To be sure I did. Why not?" "You are hopeless," laughed Frank. "Look at that shooting star," said Betty, pointing with her paddle. "Oh, that was a beauty!" "Did you wish on it?" asked Grace eagerly. "I didn't know I had to. Goodness, did I throw away an opportunity?" Betty's tone was dismayed. "Why, of course," said Grace, with an air of superiority. "It's bad luck if you don't." "All right, I won't let the next one escape," Betty promised. And so they went on and on, enjoying the[150] shadowy stillness of the night, and later revelling in the silver radiance of the moonlight. It was not until they started on their journey side by side with the other canoe that Allen broached a subject that had been almost entirely forgotten in the excitement of the last few days. "Say, when are you and Frank going to practice for the big race, Betty?" he asked. "I am mighty anxious to see it." "To-morrow morning, I guess," said Betty, then added suddenly: "I don't see why Frank and I should furnish all the fun. Why don't you all join in? It would be ever so much more exciting." "That's a good idea," said Allen. "I'll do it if the rest are willing. How about it, Grace?" "I'm willing," she replied. "Oh, I have a bright idea!" "Shoot!" said Frank inelegantly. "Suppose we take our lunch," she went on enthusiastically, "and have a regular old-fashioned picnic in the woods beyond the camp." "Grace, you are a marvel," cried Betty. "I can't think of anything I'd like better. Swimming in the morning and a party in the afternoon! Oh, every day is more wonderful than the last!"[151] <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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