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They plunged together into the icy water and swam 
 vigorously to the other shore. 
 
 (Page 163) Frontispiece 
 
POLLY'S 
 SUMMER VACATION 
 
 BY 
 
 DOROTHY WHITEHILL 
 
 Author of "Polly's First Year at Boarding School," etc 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 CHARLES L. WRENN 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
 NEWARK, N. J. NEW YORK, N. Y. 
 
Copyright, 1917 
 By 
 
 Babse & Hopkins 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Printed in the United States of America 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I Off for the Summer 9 
 
 II Banker Fords the Creek 24 
 
 III The First Call 38 
 
 IV Maud 55 
 
 V The Summer Begins 72 
 
 VI Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 86 
 
 VII Polly and Bob Conspire 100 
 
 VIII The Fourth of July 114 
 
 IX More House Party 127 
 
 X The Invitation 137 
 
 XI The Visit 148 
 
 XII The First Day at Camp 162 
 
 XIII At Hill's Camp 175 
 
 XIV The Mystery Solved 189 
 
 XV Polly Entertains 200 
 
 XVI Off for Boston 212 
 
 XVII The Surprise in the House of the 
 
 Seven Gables 218 
 
 XVIII Thoughts of School 231 
 
 XIX Shopping 244 
 
 XX The End of the Summer 253 
 
ILLUSTKATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 They plunged together into the icy water and swam 
 vigorously to the other shore . . . Frontispiece 
 
 Polly slipped the halter over his head and led him 
 back to the stable 27 
 
 Polly was a good player, and as Lois had said, Bob 
 was a wonder 135 
 
 At twelve o'clock, they struck camp and had 
 luncheon 183 
 
POLLY'S SUMMER VACATION 
 
 CHAPTEB I 
 
 OFF FOR THE SUMMER 
 
 Polly was agog with excitement. After a busy 
 week of preparation, followed by two days of 
 actual packing, the day for the start to the coun- 
 try had at last arrived. 
 
 That, in itself, was delightful, but add to it the 
 joyful fact that Lois Farwell, her very best friend, 
 and Lois' mother, were to accompany her, and you 
 have her real reason for rejoicing. 
 
 Polly had lived, until the previous year, in a 
 sleepy New England town with her Aunt, Miss 
 Hannah Pendleton, at whose death she had come 
 to New York, to live with her Uncle Rodney 
 Pendleton. Between them, they had decided on 
 a boarding school, and when this story opens, 
 Polly had just finished a thoroughly wonderful 
 year at Seddon Hall. 
 
 The new and happy contact with girls of her 
 own age had stood in the light of her first great 
 
 9 
 
10 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 adventure, and now, with the prospect of the sum- 
 mer vacation spent in her old home, Polly felt 
 she was about to embark upon her second. 
 
 Eleven o'clock found her standing under the 
 clock in the middle of the Grand Central Station. 
 She looked worried and expectant. The mass of 
 people about her surged this way and that; bag- 
 gage-laden porters with red caps acted as guides 
 to their flurried and bewildered charges. Babies 
 fretted and cried, children waved pails and 
 shovels in the air, and old ladies bustled about 
 mopping their brows, for the day was oppres- 
 sively warm. 
 
 Every now and then a bell would jingle noisily 
 and somewhere out of sight a gate would clang 
 with alarming finality. It looked as if the greater 
 part of New York were about to start on a vaca- 
 tion. 
 
 Polly wondered if there could be any one left 
 in the city. With a sigh of relief she saw Uncle 
 Eoddy — he had been attending to the trunks — 
 appear through a distant doorway and make his 
 way to her. 
 
 "Well, Tiddledewinks, did you think I was 
 lost?" he asked. 
 
 "No, not quite," Polly answered, smiling, "but 
 I thought you were a long time. Shouldn't the 
 Farwejls be here by now?" she asked, looking 
 between the hundreds of heads that bobbed be- 
 
Off for the Summer 
 
 11 
 
 fore her in her attempt to locate her friends' 
 familiar figures. 
 
 "There they are," she exclaimed a minute 
 later; "I know that's Lois in the blue sailor 
 suit." 
 
 "I thought you'd never come," she said, after 
 the Farwells had joined them and greetings had 
 been exchanged. 
 
 "So did we," laughed Mrs. Farwell, "it has 
 been an exciting morning. Dr. Farwell was 
 called home suddenly; one of his patients is very 
 ill." 
 
 The Farwells lived in Albany, but they had 
 been in New York shopping for a week. 
 
 "I thought we'd never get breakfast at the 
 hotel." 
 
 "And to crown all," Lois interrupted her 
 mother, "our taxi broke down and we had to 
 change to a hansom. Never mind though, we are 
 here, thank goodness!" 
 
 At this point the porter came up to them, and 
 respectfully touching his cap suggested that they 
 board the train. Uncle Eoddy saw them through 
 the gate and comfortably seated in the parlor 
 car. He supplied Mrs. Farwell with magazines 
 and the girls with candy. After a big hug and 
 kiss for Polly he left them, just as the long train 
 pulled out of the shed. 
 
 "Poll, we're really going," Lois exulted, snug- 
 
12 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 gling back comfortably in her chair. 1 'Isn't it 
 thrilling ?" 
 
 " It's the most exciting thing that ever happened 
 to me in my whole life," Polly replied solemnly. 
 
 Then changing her mood for a gayer one, she 
 added : 
 
 "We ought to have a wonderful summer to- 
 gether. Oh, I'm so crazy to see the old place 
 again." 
 
 "You'll have to show me every single thing 
 about the village and the house, so that I'll know 
 all about it before we have any of the girls up 
 to visit us," Lois said. 
 
 "Oh, I will, that won't take long. "Who will 
 we have first, Betty?" 
 
 "Yes, of course, but let's wait till Bob comes." 
 
 Bob was Lois' big brother. He was just pre- 
 paring to enter college and was busy with en- 
 trance examinations. He had promised to spend 
 a good part of his summer with the girls. Polly, 
 who knew him only slightly, had decided secretly 
 that she liked him. 
 
 "When will he come?" she asked. 
 
 "Oh, he'll get up before the first of July; he's 
 promised to. Polly, wouldn't it be fun if he 
 brought up some of his friends'?" 
 
 Polly thought it would, most decidedly. 
 
 "We could have a house party and we'd ask 
 Bet," she exclaimed. 
 
Off for the Summer 
 
 13 
 
 Mrs. Farwell, reading her magazine, was ap- 
 pealed to. 
 
 " Mother, do you think Bob would bring up 
 some of his friends this summer?" Lois asked; 
 "we want to have a house party." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell smiled at the two eager faces 
 before her. 
 
 "I think hell be delighted to, darling. I'll sug- 
 gest it when I write him. That is if Polly thinks 
 there will be plenty of room," she replied. 
 
 "Oh, yes," Polly assured her, thinking of the 
 old rambling house with its unexpected wings. 
 
 As if the matter were quite settled, Mrs. Far- 
 well turned again to her book, and Polly and Lois 
 made plans for the house party. 
 
 The enthralling topic occupied them for the 
 next hour and even the candy boxes were for- 
 gotten. 
 
 The train sped on its way, the busy, congested 
 streets begrimed with soot gave place to the 
 fresh, green fields of the country. 
 
 At one o'clock they reached New Haven and 
 had just time to hurry to the hotel opposite the 
 station for luncheon before catching their way 
 train. 
 
 "Well, that wasn't much of a wait," gasped 
 Lois, tossing her tennis racket in its leather case 
 on to an empty seat, and causing a cloud of 
 dust to rise from the stuffy plush covering. A 
 
14 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 moment later, the engine backed up, and after 
 a clumsy jolt, they lumbered on their way. 
 
 By the time New Haven was left behind and 
 they came to the first real country that was fa- 
 miliar to Polly, she began to have misgivings. 
 
 Suppose after all, Lois and her mother failed 
 to like the old place, suppose they found the sleepy 
 village uninteresting, and the big house on the 
 hill lonely. With a gasp of dismay she remem- 
 bered that Aunt Hannah had steadfastly refused 
 to replace the lamps and candles with gas or 
 electricity. It had been the one modern improve- 
 ment she had been deaf to. Polly saw with horror 
 the old mahogany table in the long hall with its 
 half dozen silver candlesticks. Aloud she said: 
 
 "Oh, I'd forgotten all about that.' 7 
 
 "About what, dear?" Mrs. Farwell asked. 
 
 "Why, that there are no lights in the house, 
 only lamps and candles,' ' Polly told her. But, 
 if she expected to see a look of disappointment 
 on Mrs. Farwell 's face, she was mistaken. In- 
 stead she laughed delightedly. 
 
 "Really, Polly, that's most too good to be true." 
 
 "Candles to take up to bed with you!" Lois 
 exclaimed. "It's like the English stories you 
 read about. Fancy going upstairs holding a 
 candle above your head; won't that tickle Betty?" 
 
 Polly drew a long breath of relief. 
 
 "I'm glad you don't mind," she said, doubt in 
 
Off for the Summer 15 
 
 her voice. Then she added, impulsively: "Oh, 
 I do hope you will like it all." 
 
 "Darling child, if the rest of the house goes 
 with the candles, we are sure to," Mrs. Farwell 
 promised. 
 
 And Lois said: "Don't be such a great silly, 
 Poll, cheer up, and let's talk some more about the 
 house party. 
 
 The topic was absorbing and the trip a short 
 one. Before they realized it the train was steam- 
 ing up to the little village station. Polly, her con- 
 fidence regained, jumped up excitedly. 
 
 "We're here, and there's Tim," she exclaimed. 
 
 With the aid of the brakeman, they got them- 
 selves and their bags on to the platform. 
 
 "Hello, Tim," Polly called, as the old coach- 
 man came forward; "I am glad to see you." 
 
 "It's more than glad I am to see you, Miss 
 Polly," he replied, heartily shaking her out- 
 stretched hand; "I've got the carriage for you, 
 and the farm wagon for the trunks, as Mr. Pendle- 
 ton wired." 
 
 As he spoke a big cream colored collie dog 
 bounded out from under the carriage, and jumped 
 up on Polly, barking and wagging his tail. 
 
 "Sandy, you darling, darling, darling," Polly 
 cried, dropping to her knees and hugging his 
 shaggy head. "You do remember me." Her 
 eyes filled with tears as she kissed his cold nose. 
 
16 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 " Isn't he a beauty ?" she demanded, turning 
 to Lois and her mother. "Give your paw, 
 Sandy I" she commanded, and Sandy obeyed. 
 
 After Lois and Mrs. Farwell had admired him 
 to his mistresses' complete satisfaction, they made 
 their way to the carriage. 
 
 The ride to the house was over three miles. 
 Polly, who sat beside Tim, with Sandy at her 
 feet, pointed out everything of interest. 
 
 ' ' That's the Green," she said, as they drove 
 through the village. "The old white church at 
 that end is the one we always went to. The min- 
 ister's house is that little house next to it, and 
 over there, the white house that's covered with 
 ivy, is where Miss Hemingway lives; she was a 
 friend of Aunt Hannah's. How is she? just the 
 same, Tim?" she asked. 
 
 Tim chuckled way down in his throat. 
 
 "Yes, Miss Polly, she's just the same," he 
 replied. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell gazed at the scene before her, and 
 sighed contentedly. "It's like a painting," she 
 whispered, and Lois added: 
 
 "Oh, Poll, it's simply ducky." 
 
 They drove on, past the village, and started 
 up the first of the two home hills that lead to 
 the house. When they reached the top of the 
 first one, and the horses had changed their walk 
 to a trot, Polly gave a surprised cry. 
 
Off for the Summer 
 
 17 
 
 "Gracious !" she exclaimed. "Who's living 
 in the haunted house? Look, the blinds are 
 open!" 
 
 Lois and Mrs. Farwell looked in the direction 
 in which she pointed and saw a tumbled down, 
 brown house, almost hidden by huge lilac bushes. 
 The path up to the sagging front-door was a 
 mass of weeds, and the only trees about the place 
 were tall gaunt pines, that added to the mysteri- 
 ous desolation. 
 
 Tim, to whom Polly's question had been ad- 
 dressed, scratched his head thoughtfully before 
 answering. 
 
 "There's a woman and a young girl there, Miss 
 Polly," he said at last; "leastwise as far as I 
 can make out. Nobody knows where they came 
 from or what's their business here. They keeps 
 to themselves, and none of the village folks will 
 go near the place." 
 
 Lois had been listening eagerly. 
 
 "How thrilling; is the house really haunted? 
 Tell me about it," she demanded. 
 
 "There's nothing to tell," Polly answered. 
 "The house hasn't been lived in for years, and 
 the people in the village always said it was 
 haunted by ghosts." 
 
 "Well, go on," prompted Lois. 
 
 "Oh, I've forgotten the story. But Sarah 
 knows it; we'll get her to tell us sometime." 
 
18 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Both girls looked back wonderingly at the old 
 place and did not notice that the carriage had 
 rounded the last turn of the road, discovering an 
 old colonial house that rambled hugely up the side 
 of a hill. 
 
 "How beautiful!" ejaculated Mrs. Farwell. 
 "Whose place is that, Polly?" 
 
 Polly looked and laughed. "Ours," she an- 
 swered. 
 
 Two hours later found them seated comfortably 
 in wicker chairs on the brick terrace, drinking 
 lemonade and eating Sarah's famous cookies. 
 
 Sarah was Tim's wife, and had been in the 
 Pendletons' service as long as Polly could remem- 
 ber. She acted as housekeeper, and took the most 
 lively interest in all the family. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell and Lois had been shown over 
 the house and had pronounced it perfect. Mrs. 
 Farwell had gone into ecstasies over the old furni- 
 ture that filled each one of the big, cool rooms. 
 
 Polly's face was wreathed in smiles. "Oh, 
 but I'm glad you like it," she sighed. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell patted her hand. "I never ex- 
 pected anything so lovely. I foresee a wonder- 
 ful summer. It 's going to be so nice, having two 
 big daughters all to myself," she said. 
 
 Polly kissed her and whispered "Thank you." 
 
 Lois, who had been out of the conversation 
 long enough, asked : 
 
Off for the Summer 19 
 
 "By the way, Polly, where 's the water ?" 
 
 "Just over the hill, and down," Polly told her. 
 "We'll walk to it after dinner, with the dogs," 
 she added, patting Sandy who was close beside 
 her chair. 
 
 But the evening brought a shower of rain that 
 made the walk impossible. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell busied herself unpacking the 
 trunks, and the girls, after she had assured them 
 they could be of no assistance, roamed over the 
 house. 
 
 "I adore this landing, and this comfy window 
 seat," Lois remarked, snuggling into the many 
 soft cushions. "I hope it rains often, so I can 
 sit here and read. I suppose you've done it 
 millions of times." 
 
 Polly shook her head. "No, Aunt Hannah 
 didn't think it was very lady-like to take your 
 feet off the floor, except when you were in bed." 
 She laughed. "But, of course, I have curled 
 up there many a time, and so has Sandy; 
 haven't we, old fellow? There or out in the hay 
 loft." 
 
 "I'm crazy to explore the barn." 
 "We will to-morrow." 
 
 "Oh, let's get Sarah to tell us the story of the 
 haunted house," Lois suggested. 
 
 They found Sarah alone in the kitchen and 
 only too willing to oblige them with the tale. 
 
20 Polly's Slimmer Vacation 
 
 "Of course," she began, "I don't hold with this 
 myself, though there's many that do, and I will 
 omit" (Sarah meant admit, but she was too carried 
 away with her story to be particular) ' ' that there 's 
 many the strange sights I've seen there at the 
 full of the moon." 
 
 "Oh," whispered Lois. 
 
 "But to the story, this is what they say: Once 
 upon a time, well, during the Revolution, an old 
 man named Jonathan lived in a house on the 
 same spot where the haunted house stands. He 
 had a lot of money and was a regular miser, and 
 when the war broke out he was afraid lest he 
 lose it. So he went down in the cellar and dug 
 a hole and put it all there. Did I tell you he 
 lived alone?" 
 
 "No," chorused Polly and Lois. 
 
 "Well, he did, and every day he'd go down 
 cellar and look at his gold. But one day the sol- 
 diers came. There was always fighting about 
 these parts. And they made him give them food 
 and beds to sleep in. They slept in his house, 
 oh, about eight of them, for a week or more. And 
 on the last night the old man had a dream. He 
 dreamt his gold was stolen, and nothing would 
 do but that he must get up and go down cellar 
 to find out. On the way down he fell over a 
 chair, and one of the soldiers who was in the 
 next room, woke up. He thought maybe there 'd 
 
Off for the Summer 
 
 21 
 
 be something wrong, so up he gets and follows 
 the old man down cellar and sees him looking at 
 his gold." 
 
 She stopped to let the weight of her words sink 
 in. 
 
 " Go on, ' ' pleaded Lois. ' 6 What did he do?" 
 
 "Oh, he was a cute one. The next day, when 
 the other soldiers left, he stayed behind, unbe- 
 knownst of course to Jonathan, and that night 
 he goes into the cellar by a window to get the 
 gold quietly. But when he got in, there is Jona- 
 than looking at his gold. He'd had another 
 dream. Well, the soldier was bound to get that 
 gold, so when Jonathan calls help, he just takes 
 out his sword and kills him. Then he goes for 
 the gold, but on his way he trips, and the candle 
 he's holding drops out of his hand and sets fire 
 to one of the wooden posts that holds up the house, 
 and before he can get the gold or out of the 
 house, it's in a blaze, and he and the man he 
 killed were burned up together." 
 
 "Bat the gold," insisted Lois. 
 
 "It's still there, they say, though none has been 
 able to find it, but every month, when the moon's 
 full, the two men come back and fight for it on 
 the spot where the old house once stood." 
 
 Lois looked hard at the fire in the stove. She 
 half believed the strange tale, and would willingly 
 have wholly believed. 
 
22 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Polly's practical question, however, made that 
 impossible. 
 
 "If they were both burned up, who knew and 
 could have told what happened V 9 she asked. 
 
 "Let that be as it may," Sarah replied, non- 
 committally. "Some one must have known, or 
 the story never would have got its start." 
 
 "Oh, Poll, you make me cross. Don't spoil it 
 all with questions. Thank you, Sarah; I enjoyed 
 hearing it a lot, and I'm going to see those 
 ghosts," Lois said, getting up and stretching. 
 "Come on to bed, Polly, I'm crazy to light my 
 candle; remember, mine's the twisted one." 
 
 They left Sarah dozing before the fire, and went 
 upstairs, holding their candles high above their 
 heads, much to Lois' joy. 
 
 Polly had her old room, and Lois the one next 
 to it. There was a big door between the two. 
 Mrs. Farwell was just across the hall. 
 
 Undressing took a long time, for Lois wanted 
 to put off blowing out her candle, and insisted 
 upon retailing Sarah's story to her mother. It 
 was after eleven before the lights were out. 
 
 Polly, in her big four-poster bed with its blue 
 and white chintz hangings, lay staring at the ceil- 
 ing. She was thinking of the last time she had 
 slept in that room. It had been the night after 
 Aunt Hannah's funeral, and Uncle Eoddy had 
 slept in Lois' room. She had lain awake half 
 
Off for the Summer 
 
 23 
 
 the night, wondering about the big change that 
 to-morrow was to bring. Her thoughts flew to 
 Uncle Roddy and the New York apartment, the 
 jolly Christmas vacation that Lois had spent with 
 her, school, and the many happy memories con- 
 nected with it. She sat up in bed. 
 
 "I'd think it was all a dream, if it wasn't for 
 Lois in the next room," she whispered to herself. 
 "Lo," she called softly. But Lois, under her 
 pink and white patchwork quilt, was sound asleep 
 and did not answer. Instead, Sandy got up from 
 his rug by the window, and came over and licked 
 her hand. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 BANKER FORDS THE CREEK 
 
 Polly was up and out next morning before any 
 of the rest of the household. 
 
 With the collie at her heels, she slipped out 
 of the side door and made directly for the stables. 
 There, she found Tim, cleaning some already spot- 
 less harness. He looked up in surprise at her 
 appearance. 
 
 "Why, Miss Polly, you're up early,' ' he said. 
 
 "I know it," Polly answered. "I couldn't 
 sleep, and besides, I didn't have half enough time 
 to really see things last night. Tell me every- 
 thing that's happened while I have been away," 
 she demanded, swinging herself up on an old dis- 
 used grain box that did duty as a table. 
 
 Tim smiled broadly. Polly had always been 
 a great pet of his. He had feared that the city 
 would send her back changed, and most dreaded 
 of all, grown up. But, here she was, quite the 
 same jolly little companion of former years. 
 
 "Nothing much has happened; things have 
 gone on just the same," he told her. "Darby's 
 still so scared of those autos." Tim always spoke 
 
 24 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 25 
 
 of automobiles with disgust. "And Joan fell 
 down last winter and cut her knee, so's we couldn't 
 drive her for weeks." 
 
 Darby and Joan were the team of horses that 
 had brought them up from the station, two mag- 
 nificent blacks that had long been the pride of 
 Aunt Hannah. 
 
 Polly slipped down from her place and went into 
 the big box stall. Joan took her head out of the 
 oat bin and submitted her velvety nose to be 
 petted. 
 
 "Poor old Joan! Did she fall and cut her knee 
 and have to stay shut up in the old stable? Too 
 bad," Polly said consolingly. 
 
 Tim finished his harness cleaning and stepped 
 to the back of the stable. Opening a small door 
 he whistled softly. Two big black and white set- 
 ter dogs tumbled over each other in their attempt 
 to greet Polly. They jumped up, licking her 
 hands and barking a welcome. 
 
 "Hello, old fellows; here, get down this minute, 
 where are your manners!" Polly ordered, patting 
 both their big heads, as they stood obediently 
 beside her. 
 
 "They remember you, too, Miss Polly," Tim 
 chuckled; "I knew they would. See how jealous 
 Sandy is," he added. 
 
 It took a few minutes of loving and petting 
 before the collie would stop sulking, and then, 
 
26 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 with all three dogs frisking about her, Polly fin- 
 ished her inspection of the stable. 
 
 Darby received his share of attention, and even 
 old Frank, the farm horse, seemed to remember 
 the fingers that stroked his neck. 
 
 Finally Polly stopped in the middle of the barn, 
 her head was a little on one side. She gave an 
 excited little sigh as she said : 
 
 "And now to get a real look at Banker; I 
 just saw him last night." 
 
 "Yes, Miss, just a minute and I'll catch him 
 for you." Tim was as excited as his little mis- 
 tress. 
 
 "No, don't do that; I'll go myself and see if 
 he knows me," Polly said. 
 
 She started off across the lawn to a small pas- 
 ture where Banker, the old dappled gray pony, 
 reigned supreme. She found him grazing con- 
 tentedly in one corner. 
 
 Tim watched breathlessly from the stable door. 
 Not for worlds would he have admitted the fear 
 of the pony's not remembering Polly. Still, it 
 was almost a year and the poor fellow was get- 
 ting old. But he had faith — Miss Polly was a 
 wonderful hand with all animals. 
 
 As she entered the pasture, he saw that his 
 faith was justified, for, at the sound of his mis- 
 tress's voice Banker gave a surprised whinny 
 and trotted over to her. In a minute his pink 
 
Pollv slipped the halter over his head and led him 
 back to the stable. Pagfe 27 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 
 
 27 
 
 nose was muzzling her shoulder. Polly slipped 
 the halter over his head and led him back to the 
 stable. 
 
 "Here he is, Tim/' she cried. "You'd better 
 keep him in the stable. We '11 probably want him 
 to-day. Is the basket cart all right!" 
 
 "It is sure, Miss Polly; it's just had a fresh 
 coat of paint last week, and looks as good as 
 new. It only came back two days ago from Mr. 
 Simkins." 
 
 "Oh, that's great. Will you hitch up Banker 
 and bring him around to the house this after- 
 noon; please, Tim? I can't wait to drive to the 
 village. Mercy! It must be breakfast time," 
 she exclaimed suddenly, conscious of the stable 
 clock. "Keep Jack and Jill here and I'll take 
 Sandy with me," she directed. Tim stood watch- 
 ing her as she ran to the house. "She's the 
 same," he mused, "only different; she's getting 
 more like her mother every day." 
 
 On her way back, Polly met Lois half way 
 across the lawn. 
 
 "Why, Poll, I thought you'd completely disap- 
 peared. What unearthly hour did you get up?" 
 
 "After six, sometime. I peeked in at you, but 
 you were sleeping so soundly I didn't like to 
 wake you." 
 
 They linked arms and entered the dining-room 
 by one of the long French windows. 
 
28 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Mrs. Farwell was already there, dressed in a 
 soft creamy morning dress. She was standing, 
 looking intently at a painting that hung at one 
 end of the long room. It was a portrait of a 
 very beautiful girl. 
 
 ' 6 Who is this, Polly dear," she asked, as the 
 girls came in. 
 
 "My mother," Polly answered softly. 
 
 "She was very beautiful." 
 
 "Uncle Eoddy says she was. I don't remem- 
 ber her. I was only a year old when she died." 
 
 "And your father?" 
 
 "He died a year later. I was always with 
 Aunt Hannah after that. ' ' 
 
 Polly's voice was very quiet, and she sighed 
 ever so slightly. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell felt a lump rise in her throat. 
 She put her arm around Polly and kissed her. 
 
 "I think you are going to be very like your 
 beautiful mother, dear," she said. 
 
 Lois caught the tremor in her mother's voice 
 and called out cheerfully: 
 
 "Oh, come on to breakfast, I'm awfully hungry. 
 This air gives me a whooping appetite." 
 
 They seated themselves at the round mahogany 
 table and ate heartily of everything Sarah had 
 provided. 
 
 "What are we going to do to-day!" Lois asked 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 29 
 
 as she waited for her mother to pour her a second 
 cup of chocolate. 
 
 Polly brightened up. She had been rather quiet 
 through the meal. 
 
 "I've ordered Banker to be brought around for 
 this afternoon; we might go for a ride. You see 
 it's too cold to bathe, and there's not much else 
 to do." 
 
 "What could we possibly do that would be more 
 fun? We'll drive all over this blessed village and 
 explore it," Lois answered. 
 
 For the rest of the morning they helped Mrs. 
 Farwell finish unpacking, and at two o'clock Tim 
 led Banker, hitched to the newly painted cart, 
 around to the carriage block, and stood at his head 
 until Lois and Polly, both in spick and span linen 
 sailor suits, jumped in. Polly took the reins, 
 spoke to Banker, who pricked up his ears and 
 started up the hill at a jogging trot. 
 
 "Oh, Poll, this is fun. Where are we going 
 first?" Lois asked as they left the driveway and 
 headed in the opposite direction from the village. 
 
 "Down to the beach; there's a sort of a road 
 that runs along the water and around to the 
 village. If it's high tide we'll have to ford the 
 creek. But Banker's used to that." 
 
 "I hope it is high tide," Lois said; "I never 
 forded a stream in my life." 
 
30 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 6 i Do you remember the day we went in pad- 
 dling at school and Bet found the monkey ?" 
 
 "I guess I do. I'll never forget it. By the 
 way, when will we ask Betty up?" 
 
 ' i When is Bob coming ?" 
 
 "I'm not sure. Not before the first of July 
 anyway." 
 
 "Well, that's not so very far away; let's wait 
 and have Betty then." 
 
 They reached the summit of the hill and the 
 water was visible for the first time. Lois, how- 
 ever, appeared not to notice it. She had become 
 very serious. 
 
 "Polly," she said suddenly. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "You do like Bob, don't you?" 
 
 "Of course I do. What a silly question. 
 What made you ask it?" 
 
 "Nothing, only do you remember the day 
 Mother and Dad and he came up to school?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, you raved about Mother and Dad, but 
 you wouldn't say anything about Bob, and I 
 thought — " 
 
 Lois left her sentence unfinished. 
 
 Polly looked intently at Banker's ears; she was 
 embarrassed. All her life she had kept her feel- 
 ings to herself and she found confidences difficult. 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 31 
 
 "I'll tell you what I think," she said suddenly. 
 "I think Bob's the nicest boy I ever met. There, 
 now are you satisfied? " 
 
 Lois was about to express her delight when 
 she saw the water ahead. 
 
 "Oh, Polly, how beautiful!" she exclaimed. 
 "I never saw anything as blue as that water. It 
 actually sparkles. And look at the way the trees 
 go right down to the edge. I thought it was a 
 regular sandy beach. Where's the creek!" 
 
 "Straight ahead. It's really more of an inlet 
 than a creek." 
 
 Polly stood up in the cart. "Jemima! but the 
 tide is high." 
 
 "Then we'll have to ford it!" 
 
 "It looks that way." 
 
 They drove the remaining distance to the creek 
 and stopped. Polly got out with the whip, and 
 measured the depth. 
 
 "It's pretty high, but I guess Banker can make 
 it. Come on, old fellow," she coaxed, leading the 
 pony to the edge of the bank, and then taking her 
 seat again in the cart. 
 
 Lois looked a little dubious; she was not a 
 country girl. 
 
 "Is it safe, Poll?" she asked, breathlessly. 
 
 "We can't get worse than a ducking," Polly 
 replied, laughing and picking up the reins. 
 
32 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Banker looked suspiciously at the water and 
 put one of his fore feet in, then he hesitated. 
 Polly shortened her hold on the reins. 
 
 "It's all right, Banker; I won't let you slip." 
 
 In went the other foot and Banker decided to 
 slide the rest of the way. He sent the water in 
 showers as he scrambled to regain his footing. 
 The cart followed with a sudden bump and Lois 
 screamed. 
 
 "Polly, it's coming over the sides. " 
 
 "No, it isn't, it's only as high as the step. 
 We're all right, now, don't be frightened," she 
 said soothingly. But Banker waded in deeper 
 at every step. The water was as high as the 
 shafts. They were progressing steadily, how- 
 ever, and Polly saw no reason to be worried. 
 
 Suddenly the cart gave a lurch, the wheels sank 
 deep in the mud with a squashy gurgling sound 
 and Banker, surprised in his attempt to gain a 
 footing on the opposite bank, came to an abrupt 
 halt. 
 
 The two girls looked at each other, Lois was now 
 thoroughly frightened ; but Polly, though alive to 
 the danger, rather enjoyed it. 
 
 < < We 're stuck, ' ' they both said at once. 
 
 After several minutes spent in coaxing on 
 Polly's part, and useless straining attempts on 
 the pony's, the wheel on Lois' side gave a dreadful 
 crack. Startled by the unexpected noise, Banker 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 
 
 33 
 
 gave a sudden jump and scrambled to dry ground. 
 
 Polly was out of the cart and at his head in 
 a jiffy. 
 
 "You plucky old fellow," she said. "Will you 
 ever forgive me! Look Lo, he's trembling all 
 over. ' ' 
 
 Lois was in exactly the same state herself, but 
 not for worlds would she have confessed it. She 
 was determined to imitate Polly's fearlessness, 
 and this was a good opportunity to begin. 
 
 "He's a wonder," she said. "What ought we 
 to do; we can't drive him, can we?" 
 
 "Goodness, no. I'll unhitch him and lead him 
 over to the Tomkins'. We get our milk from 
 them. Their house is just a little way from here. 
 Mr. Tomkins will rub him down and let him rest 
 in his barn. We can leave the cart here. Tim 
 will come for it." 
 
 Half an hour later, with the knowledge that 
 Banker was comfortable, the girls felt free to 
 accept Mrs. Tomkins' invitation to "step in and 
 have a bite to eat." 
 
 Lois was delighted at the idea of entering this 
 queer group of low white buildings, so different 
 in shape but all apparently connected. 
 
 "Polly, I don't understand this at all," she 
 whispered, as they stood on the small front porch 
 waiting for Mrs. Tomkins to open the door. "Is 
 this all house?" 
 
34 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Polly laughed heartily. 
 
 "It's house, barn, dairy, chicken coop, every- 
 thing/' she explained. "All the farm houses are 
 built like this; it is so cold in winter and there's 
 so much snow that sometimes you can't get out 
 for days." 
 
 "Really, Polly, how funny, everything is so dif- 
 ferent up here. I love it. Tell me, why couldn't 
 we have gone in the other way with Mrs. 
 Tomkins?" 
 
 "Because we're company, and besides Mrs. 
 Tomkins is very proud of her front hall and par- 
 lor. She doesn't have visitors often, and when 
 she does, she's very serious about them." 
 
 "She's a darling," Lois said, decidedly. 
 
 They heard the grating sound that a key makes 
 in a lock that is seldom used, and then Mrs. Tom- 
 kins, her big blue and white apron removed, her 
 hair tidied, and her broad good-natured face 
 smiling a welcome, ushered them into the par- 
 lor. 
 
 The room smelled musty and old, the shades 
 were lowered, and everything was in that spotless 
 order peculiar to unused rooms. 
 
 They all sat down on horse-hair chairs: Lois 
 beside the quaint barrel-shaped stove, Polly under 
 the crayon portrait of great-grandfather Tom- 
 kins, and Mrs. Tomkins near the door, where she 
 could command a view of the kitchen. The easy 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 35 
 
 intimacy of the barn was lost in this prim room. 
 Mrs. Tomkins asked polite questions and Polly 
 and Lois answered them. 
 
 At last, Sally, the hired girl, looking flushed 
 and hurried, came in bearing a huge black tray, 
 decorated with painted flowers. On it were three 
 dark blue glasses, a large plate of bread and 
 butter, a jar of jelly, two pitchers of milk and a 
 heaping bowl of pot cheese. 
 
 It was not until the sight of this appetizing 
 food that the girls realized how really hungry 
 they were. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Tomkins, this does look good," ex- 
 claimed Polly, forgetting she was company. 
 "I'm simply starved!" 
 
 "Well, now, just start right in, then. This 
 pitcher's buttermilk and that's plain. "Which '11 
 you have, Miss Lois? I know Miss Polly likes 
 the butter best," Mrs. Tomkins said, as she busied 
 herself about the tray. 
 
 "You bet I do. Try it, Lo," Polly suggested. 
 
 "No, thanks, I'll stick to plain. I tried butter- 
 milk once, but I didn't like it." Lois had all 
 she could do not to make a face. 
 
 They all laughed heartily at this and the little 
 reserve that was left completely vanished. 
 
 Mrs. Tomkins asked a hundred questions about 
 New York and boarding school and Lois and Polly 
 interrupted each other in their eagerness to an- 
 
36 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 swer. When it was time to go Lois was almost on 
 the same footing with Polly. 
 
 "I've had a perfectly wonderful time," she 
 said as they lingered at the door. "And I think 
 your house is beautiful." 
 
 "Lois has never seen a house like this before," 
 Polly said, "where all the buildings are joined 
 together. ' ' 
 
 1 6 Maybe she 'd like to go to the dairy at milking 
 time some day," Mrs. Tomkins suggested. 
 
 "Oh, would you let me? I'd just adore it. 
 When may I come?" Lois was really delighted. 
 
 "Any time you like. We milk at five." 
 
 "Thanks, ever so much. It will be soon, I can 
 promise you. Good night." 
 
 "Good night." 
 
 They waved until they had turned the bend of 
 the road and the farm house was lost to view. 
 
 "Well, you have made a hit, Lo," Polly re- 
 marked. "Mrs. Tomkins doesn't ask everybody 
 to go through the dairy. She's rather a crank 
 about it, in fact." 
 
 "Honestly? I'm awfully glad. I think she's a 
 dear. Can't we go soon?" 
 
 "Yes, but let's wait until we're sure it's low 
 tide." 
 
 At ihe word tide they both stopped in the mid- 
 dle of the road. For almost an hour they had 
 forgotten their experience, but now it came back 
 
 * 
 
Banker Fords the Creek 37 
 
 vividly to them. Polly began to laugh and after 
 a minute Lois joined in. 
 
 "If you could have seen your face," Polly 
 gasped. "I thought we were going to be 
 swamped. Poor tired old Banker, he was a 
 sport." 
 
 "And the cart's such a wreck." 
 
 "It's just been painted. Wait till Tim sees it." 
 
 "Oh, but it was funny." 
 
 They entered the pasture at the back of the 
 barn. They had come up the short cut through 
 the woods. 
 
 "This is a nice way to come back after the 
 style we left in," laughed Lois. "Mother will 
 die laughing when she hears." 
 
 "Don't you dare tell her till I come in," 
 warned Polly. "I'm going to the barn and tell 
 Tim to call for Banker." 
 
 "All right, hurry up though." 
 
 They separated. Suddenly Polly called: 
 
 "Lo, half a minute." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "About Bob." Polly's cheeks were burning. 
 "Well?" 
 
 "I'd rather he didn't know what I told you." 
 
 When Lois recovered from her surprise and 
 turned to answer, Polly was already half v^y to 
 the barn. 
 
CHAPTER HI 
 
 THE FIRST CALL 
 
 It was the first day of real summer and the 
 Pendleton grounds gave ample proof of their 
 gratitude. In the pasture the short stubby grass 
 looked emerald green in the sunshine. The trees 
 in the wood rustled joyously as if they were extra 
 proud this year of their fine leaves. The tiny 
 brook in the meadow tumbled and sang, glad to 
 be freed by the sun from the ice and snow of the 
 grim mountain where it had been captive all win- 
 ter. Delicate spring flowers had sprung up, as if 
 by magic, along the banks. 
 
 The broad velvety lawn, in its majestic dig- 
 nity, made a fitting pedestal for the fine old house 
 that seemed to smile a welcome from its summit. 
 
 In the summer house, already covered by pale 
 green vines that gave promise of crimson ram- 
 blers to come, Mrs. Farwell with Polly and Lois 
 were sitting down to tea, or to be strictly honest, 
 lemonade and cake. 
 
 They had been settled now for over a week and 
 felt delightfully at home. To-day being really 
 
 38 
 
The First Call 
 
 39 
 
 warm they were all in sheerest of dimity dresses 
 and disposed to be just lazy. 
 
 Lois was lolling in a big birch bark chair. 
 
 i c Jemima, it's hot; weVe been lying around all 
 day without doing a blessed thing," she said, 
 yawning. 
 
 Mrs. FarwelPs eyebrows drew together in a 
 puzzled frown. 
 
 " Darling Lois, you do use the most dreadful 
 language," she complained. "You say Jemima 
 every minute. Where did you learn it?" 
 
 "Never mind, Mumsie dear, it's too hot to re- 
 form to-day," Lois answered. "Besides, I don't 
 know who taught me Jemima." 
 
 Polly laughed. 
 
 "I do. Betty, don't you remember?" 
 "Of course." 
 
 "She uses it when she is mildly excited, but 
 when she is really thrilled she says Lordy ! ' ' 
 
 "Betty must be a great girl. When is she com- 
 ing to visit you?" asked Mrs. Farwell. 
 
 "I wrote her yesterday to let me know when 
 she would be able to. I hope it's soon, she's such 
 fun." 
 
 "Mother, you met her at commencement; the 
 girl with the freckles and snub nose," Lois inter- 
 rupted. 
 
 "Oh, was that Betty? I remember her of 
 course, but tell me something more about her.'-* 
 
40 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 6 6 All right, but fill up my glass first, and, Polly, 
 throw me a pillow; this chair is as hard as 
 rocks." 
 
 Polly threw the pillow just as Mrs. Farwell 
 lifted the big silver pitcher and the two met with 
 disastrous results. After the damage had been 
 repaired, the cushion placed in the sun to dry, the 
 broken glass substituted by another, they began 
 their description. 
 
 i t First of all," said Lois. " Betty's a real 
 sport." 
 
 " She's not afraid of anything," added Polly. 
 
 "She plays basket ball like a streak." 
 
 "All the girls adore her." 
 
 "She writes the best composition in class. 
 Uncle Eoddy thinks she's wonderful." 
 
 "How do the teachers like her!" Mrs. Farwell 
 asked at this point. 
 
 "They're crazy about her; that is, all except 
 the Spartan." 
 
 Lois showed her contempt for the Latin teacher 
 at Seddon Hall by the disgust of her tones. 
 
 "The Spartan doesn't like anybody very much, 
 and of course after she found out it was Bet who'd 
 given her her nickname, well, it didn't help," Polly 
 finished lamely. 
 
 "But Mrs. Baird is awfully fond of her," Lois 
 defended, "especially since the day she fell in the 
 river." 
 
The First Call 
 
 41 
 
 "Who? Mrs. Baird?" Mrs. Farwell was as- 
 tonished. 
 
 "No, Betty. I wrote you about it, Mother. It 
 
 was the day we all went skating, and Bet fell in 
 and the red-headed boy from the military school, 
 you know, Bob has some friends there, I've for- 
 gotten the name, rescued her." 
 
 i ' Oh, Lo, will you ever forget that daw? ' ' Polly 
 took up the story without giving Mrs. Farwell a 
 chance to speak. "He was bully, wasn't he? 
 How he ordered us around, and Bet was so brave, 
 she kept up her courage and never murmured. 
 She lost consciousness of course afterwards." 
 
 "But the very first thing she said when she came 
 to was funny," Lois reminded her. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell looked at the two girls, they were 
 flushed with excitement at the memory of that 
 eventful day, and she thought for the hundredth 
 time how glad she was that fate, in the shape of 
 Seddon Hall, had brought them together. Her 
 love for Lois was that of a mother and comrade. 
 Nothing could ever equal it, but Polly had found a 
 place in her heart that was growing every day. 
 
 TVas it because the child had no parents that 
 she loved her? Perhaps, but the main reason 
 was, that Polly was Polly. Polly with her gold 
 brown hair and eyes that matched it so exactly, 
 and her winning manner, was apt to find her way 
 into any heart. What if Betty's visit should 
 
42 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 make a difference? Would two of them pair off 
 and leave the other, Mrs. Farwell wondered, not 
 a little troubled? Aloud she said: 
 
 "I think Betty must be quite a duck." 
 
 "Mother!" 
 
 "Mrs. Farwell!" 
 
 Polly and Lois pretended to be greatly shocked. 
 
 "Darling Mumsie, you really are getting so 
 slangy," Lois teased. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell joined heartily in the laugh 
 against her. "Well, you see what a dreadful in- 
 fluence you are," she said. "And what am I go- 
 ing to do when Betty comes? By the way," she 
 added, "won't you want to have another girl when 
 she's here? Isn't three rather an odd number?" 
 
 "Not when Bet's the third," both girls denied 
 emphatically. 
 
 "We always went together at school. They 
 called us the trio," Polly explained. 
 
 "Mother thinks we'll fuss," laughed Lois, read- 
 ing aright the pucker on Mrs. Farwell 's brow. 
 
 "No fear of that," laughed Polly, confidently. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell sighed her relief and looked out 
 contentedly over the lawn. 
 
 The girls discussed Betty's coming. 
 
 All at once the sound of carriage wheels on 
 gravel became audible and Mrs. Farwell, glancing 
 down the driveway, saw a dilapidated carriage 
 moving slowly towards the house. 
 
The First CaU 
 
 43 
 
 "Who can that be?" she asked, sitting up. 
 
 The girls looked, and Polly groaned : 
 
 "It's company, and I bet I know who. Miss 
 Hemingway or the minister. They always come 
 in the station carriage." 
 
 i 4 Then we must go back at once. It would never 
 do to receive our first visitors anywhere but in the 
 drawing-room." Mrs. Farwell rose as she spoke, 
 smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and started 
 across the lawn. Lois and Polly followed de- 
 jectedly. 
 
 Sarah met them as they entered the hall. 
 
 "Miss Hemingway is in the parlor, Mam. 
 Shall I bring tea?" she inquired. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell nodded assent and entered the 
 room. 
 
 There, seated in the exact middle of the sofa, 
 her purple silk dress spread in billowy folds about 
 her tiny person, her small black gloved hands 
 folded primly in her lap, her corkscrew curls 
 marshaled like soldiers on either side of her thin 
 little face, sat Miss Hemingway. 
 
 At sight of her hostess, she rose and extended 
 her hand. 
 
 "Is this Mrs. Farwell?" she asked in a shrill, 
 piping voice. i 1 1 am Miss Hemingway. ' ' 
 
 "How do you do? I am delighted to see you," 
 Mrs. Farwell replied graciously. 
 
 Her visitor looked a trifle puzzled. 
 
44 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Yes, indeed, it is warm for this time of year," 
 she said, nodding her head. Then turned to greet 
 Polly. 
 
 "Glad to see you, my dear child; glad to see 
 you. So afraid you'd never come back. Don't 
 hold with boarding school myself, never did. 
 Still under circumstances — But who's this?" 
 She noticed Lois for the first time. 
 
 Polly explained Lois' presence and introduced 
 her in a voice that could be heard by Tim in the 
 barn. 
 
 Lois, too startled for speech, shook hands and 
 they all sat down. 
 
 Polly seated herself on a foot stool as near their 
 guest as possible, and undertook the conversation. 
 
 "It's very natural to be back, everything is just 
 the same," she shouted. 
 
 Miss Hemingway turned on her sharply. 
 
 "Humph, just the same. Where are your eyes? 
 There's plenty of changes. New porch on the 
 Eectory; silly it looks too, I think. Three new 
 stores on Main Street. Macadam road all the 
 way to the bridge. And as if that wasn't enough 
 changes for one year, they must put up a band 
 stand on the Green. Fussing for something new 
 all the time. Don't hold with it myself; don't 
 hold with it." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell thought it time to say something, 
 so she cleared her throat. 
 
The First Call 
 
 45 
 
 "Polly pointed out your charming house to us 
 as we drove from the station. Perhaps you will 
 give us — " 
 
 "Hey ? Oh, yes. quite so, quite so, it is a pity. 
 They're talking of tearing down the old covered 
 bridge and putting up a steel one." Miss Hem- 
 ingway was off on a long tirade against modern 
 improvements. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell sank back discouraged, and left 
 the conversation to her guest. This seemed to 
 thoroughly satisfy Miss Hemingway, who kept up 
 a steady stream of remarks until Sarah appeared 
 with the tea. 
 
 Meanwhile Lois had been racking her brains to 
 think of something to say. Her thoughts seemed 
 to have all taken flight. There must be some in- 
 telligent remark she could make. All at once she 
 had an inspiration. She left her chair, walked 
 round to the back of the sofa, and putting 
 her mouth almost in Miss Hemingway's ear 
 shouted : 
 
 "Do you think Polly has changed?" 
 
 Miss Hemingway gave a violent start. 
 
 - 'Mercy me!" she exclaimed. ""What a fright 
 you gave me. Xo need to shout in my ear, child. 
 I'm not deaf, hear perfectly if a body speaks dis- 
 tinctly." And she subsided into a series of 
 humphs and dear mes. 
 
 Poor Lois blushed scarlet and fled for the big 
 
46 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 bay window, where she took refuge behind the 
 kindly curtains. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell, to cover up the awkward pause, 
 insisted upon giving her visitor another cup of 
 tea, and Polly, to change the subject, shouted, 
 though with every appearance of speaking in a 
 natural voice, " Are there many new people in the 
 villager' 
 
 It was the wisest thing she could have done. 
 Miss Hemingway had intended mentioning the 
 new neighbors, but it had slipped her mind. She 
 was grateful to Polly for introducing the subject. 
 
 " There are, child, there are," she began, 
 "two new families on the green, though I'm 
 thankful to say they are here only for the sum- 
 mer. I called once, but shan't again. Very 
 frivolous the younger ones are. Silly things. 
 Then there's the Kent hous — " 
 
 "That's the one I told you was haunted, the 
 other day," Polly explained in an undertone to 
 Mrs. Farwell. 
 
 "There are people in that," the tiny lady went 
 on, not knowing of the interruption, "but I know 
 nothing about them. Very strange behavior 
 though, I must say, very strange. Mrs. Hop- 
 per — " 
 
 "The minister's wife," Polly explained again. 
 — "called there and she told me they wouldn't 
 let her in. I don't believe that — foolish woman, 
 
The First Call 
 
 47 
 
 Mrs. Hopper, always exaggerating — said some- 
 thing though about an English woman coming to 
 the door and saying the lady of the house was 
 too ill to receive callers. Maybe so, nobody 
 knows anything about her. There's a girl too, 
 daughter, I suppose. About your age, Polly — 
 Mrs. Hopper said she was in the path as she came 
 out, but when she spoke to her she ran behind 
 some shrubs. Very rude of her, I'm sure, but per- 
 haps she knows no better. Invalid or no invalid, 
 her mother ought to see that the child goes to 
 Sunday school." 
 
 There was a moment's pause, during which the 
 hall clock boomed six and Lois, still hidden in the 
 bay window, sneezed violently. 
 
 Miss Hemingway looked at her watch, a large 
 gold one with a double case, and rose to go. 
 
 "No idea it was so late. Must be going, had 
 a delightful afternoon." Each sentence was so 
 punctuated that it sounded like the report of a 
 pistol. 
 
 "Glad to see you at my house any time. Don't 
 come Mondays; Church Society meets that day, 
 you wouldn't like it. Good-by, Polly, child; glad 
 you're back. Never held with boarding schools. 
 Where's the other girl?" 
 
 Lois came out of the bay window looking de- 
 cidedly crestfallen. 
 
 "Oh, there you are. Good-by, my dear," and 
 
48 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 to the surprise of all, the queer little lady put 
 her hand on Lois' shoulder and kissed her. 
 
 "Come in when you're out in the pony cart, 
 any time — good-by — good-by." And away she 
 bobbed, through the front hall to the porch and 
 was driven away in style in the station hack. 
 
 Her three hostesses accompanied her as far as 
 the steps and stood waiting until the last rattle 
 of the carriage faded into the other evening 
 noises. Then, with one accord they sat down sud- 
 denly on the top step. No one wanted to be the 
 first, yet they all wanted to laugh and felt rather 
 ashamed of it. 
 
 "She's funny, but she's really a dear, inside," 
 Polly said loyally. "She's been awfully good to 
 me. I'll never forget the day I fell in the mud 
 in front of her house, and she had my dress 
 washed and pressed so Aunt Hannah wouldn't 
 know." 
 
 "Was she a friend of your aunt's?" Mrs. Far- 
 well asked. 
 
 "Yes, that is, they used to call on each other 
 quite often. Aunt Hannah never knew any one 
 very well, but I think she liked Miss Hemingway, 
 Though why, I don't know. They were so differ- 
 ent. Miss Hemingway talks all the time, and 
 Aunt Hannah never spoke unless she had some- 
 thing important to say." 
 
 "Well, that wouldn't worry Miss Hemingway," 
 
The First Call 
 
 49 
 
 laughed Mrs. Farwell. "She really is a delight- 
 ful old lady, and I am sure she is lots kinder than 
 she pretends to be." 
 
 Polly looked thoughtfully down the road to- 
 wards the East. In the twilight the dilapidated, 
 crazy roof of the haunted house was just visible. 
 A last ray of sun caught one tiny dormer window 
 and made it sparkle vividly against the back- 
 ground of darkness. 
 
 "I wonder what's the mystery about the people 
 in that place ? ' ' she mused. 
 
 "I wonder too," Mrs. Farwell sighed, "it 
 doesn't sound as if they were very happy, par- 
 ticularly the child. Poor little thing, she must be 
 very lonely." Then, noticing Lois, who looked 
 positively crushed, in one of the porch chairs, she 
 asked, "What do you think, dear!" 
 
 "Think! I'll never think again," said Lois, 
 solemnly. "It was trying to think of something 
 to say that caused all the trouble." Her thoughts 
 were still with Miss Hemingway. "Polly, why do 
 you suppose she kissed me!" 
 
 "Because she was sorry for the way she had 
 spoken, and that was her way of apologizing. If 
 you should go to see her she'd feed you with every 
 kind of cake you ever heard of, and treat you like 
 a queen." 
 
 "Go to see her!" gasped Lois, in mock dismay. 
 "I'd never dare." 
 
50 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 That evening as the two girls were strolling 
 around the grounds, arm in arm, the mystery of 
 the haunted house was still in Polly's thoughts. 
 The days had already lengthened noticeably and at 
 seven-thirty it was still light. 
 
 " Let's go see Banker,' ' suggested Lois as they 
 crossed the path that led to the barn. 
 
 4 'All right," agreed Polly. "Tim said he was 
 much better this morning and that we could drive 
 him any time now." 
 
 The pony had really been laid up after his 
 struggle in the mud bank, something was strained 
 in his back, but a week in the stable under Tim's 
 careful treatment, had made him quite spry again, 
 and apparently eager for more adventures. 
 
 Polly and Lois had petted and fussed over him 
 to such an extent, that a less seriously minded 
 pony would have had his head completely turned. 
 To-night, they found Tim giving him an extra rub- 
 bing down. 
 
 "Will he really be all right to drive soon?" 
 asked Polly, doubtfully. 
 
 "Fit as fiddlers, miss. He's been shamming 
 these last few days, that I know. When he don't 
 think I'm looking he's as frisky as a colt." 
 
 "Don't let's go in yet," Polly said as they left 
 the stable. "It's such a glorious night. How 
 about a walk?" 
 
 "I'd love it." 
 
The First Call 
 
 51 
 
 "Do you think your mother would like to 
 come ? ' ' 
 
 "No, she's writing to Dad, but I'll tell her we're 
 going." 
 
 "Tell her we'll take all the dogs with us — then 
 she won't worry," called Polly as Lois entered the 
 house by one of the windows that gave on the 
 porch. 
 
 A few minutes later, with the dogs jumping and 
 frisking at their heels, they started across the pas- 
 ture, intending to strike the path that ran beside 
 a tumbled down stone wall that marked the far- 
 thest eastern boundary of the Pendleton grounds. 
 
 "It won't get really dark for an hour and if 
 it does, we can always strike the road and come 
 back that way," Polly said. 
 
 "Past the haunted house, oh, Poll, the dreadful 
 English woman might run out and eat us," Lois 
 laughed. 
 
 "Not much chance, the dogs would be more 
 likely to eat her." 
 
 "Well, anyway, I prefer this path to the road; 
 I hate the look of that house, it's so spooky." 
 
 "Wait till you see the back of it, this path leads 
 right up to the foot of their place and the barn's 
 there. It's all falling to pieces and nothing but 
 bats and rats live in it," Polly teased. 
 
 "Polly, you wretch, I shan't go another step," 
 Lois threatened. 
 
52 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Oh, come on, it's not so bad, besides, see how 
 light it is." 
 
 For a while they walked in silence, it was too 
 beautiful an evening to spoil by talking. But as 
 spring evenings are apt to do it ended rather sud- 
 denly. They were both busy with their thoughts 
 and did not notice how the sky grew darker and 
 darker every minute. By the time they had 
 reached the end of their grounds and had come 
 to the Rents' barn it was quite dark. The dogs 
 stopped frisking and walked sedately at heel. 
 
 Suddenly, Sandy, who had been trotting ahead, 
 stopped, lifted his head and gave a quick sharp 
 bark. 
 
 "Polly, what was that? Great goodness! See 
 how dark it is." Lois was frightened out of her 
 revery. 
 
 "It's nothing at all, probably, but a harmless 
 squirrel. Sandy always does that. Go after him, 
 old fellow," she called to the dog. But he refused 
 to budge. After a minute more of listening he 
 ran to the part of the wall which was close to the 
 red barn and began smelling the ground. 
 
 "It is something, look, the other dogs know it, 
 too," Lois whispered excitedly. 
 
 Jack and Jill had run up with Sandy and were 
 intently listening. 
 
 Polly motioned Lois to stand still, while she 
 walked softly up to the wall and peered over. At 
 
The First Call 
 
 53 
 
 first, she heard not a sound, then a faint sobbing 
 noise caught her attention. She went back to 
 Lois. 
 
 "Some one is crying on the other side of the 
 wall." 
 
 Lois, assured that the weird something was 
 quite human, regained her courage and ap- 
 proached the wall. This time the sobs were more 
 distinct. They came from behind a clump of 
 trees, so that the person was completely hidden 
 from view. 
 
 The dogs, during this time, had been watching 
 Polly as if waiting for her orders, but as the noise 
 grew louder, Sandy could not keep still any longer 
 and barked excitedly. The sobs gave place to a 
 startled scream. Polly and Lois held their breath. 
 
 Suddenly from behind the clump of trees, a 
 small figure in white appeared, stood still for a 
 half minute and then ran swiftly out of sight. 
 The girls looked peeringly into the dark. They 
 were no longer frightened. 
 
 "Lo, it was the girl next door," Polly whis- 
 pered. "She was crying, we must have fright- 
 ened her to death." 
 
 "I wonder what's the matter! She sounded as 
 if her heart was broken." 
 
 "Do you think we should have spoken!" 
 
 "No, she wouldn't have liked us to have seen 
 her in tears." 
 
54 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "I suppose not." Lois looked thoughtful. 
 "Poll, can't we do something? She must be aw- 
 fully unhappy." 
 
 They retraced their steps slowly in spite of the 
 darkness. 
 
 6 ' We must. It does seem mysterious, but I sup- 
 pose that's because they live in the haunted house. 
 It 's really silly to imagine there 's anything queer 
 about them." Polly was trying to convince her- 
 self as well as Lois. 
 
 "But, Poll," Lois was puzzled, "why are 
 they so unsociable!" 
 
 "Oh, there may be lots of reasons for that — 
 maybe the mother is an invalid." 
 
 "I guess you're right, and perhaps the girl is 
 just terribly lonely." 
 
 They had reached the back of the house. 
 
 "We must meet her," Polly said. "Poor kid." 
 
 "Yes, but after this," Lois answered forlornly. 
 
 "How are we going to do it?" 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 MAUD 
 
 The hoiv was still unsettled in Polly's and Lois' 
 minds as they took their seats in the pony cart 
 one morning two days after the eventful evening 
 of their walk. There had been two days of rain 
 and mugginess and the girls had spent their time 
 wandering about the big house and, with Mrs. 
 Farwell's aid, arranging the furniture, much to 
 Sarah's horror and their own complete satisfac- 
 tion. The big drawing-room had perhaps lost 
 some of its dignity but it made up for the loss 
 in comfort. The old-fashioned sofa which had al- 
 ways been placed stiffly between the two windows 
 was moved over in front of the open fireplace. 
 Beautiful bowls and vases, kept by Aunt Hannah 
 safely locked in her china closet, were brought 
 out and put on tables and mantel and filled with 
 spring flowers. The heavy portieres came down 
 to allow the sun to enter. Indeed the room took 
 on such a cozy look that it must have shocked the 
 big sedate grandfather's clock that scowled dis- 
 approval from its remote corner. 
 
 But to-day had dawned bright and clear, with 
 
56 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 that freshness in the air that always comes after 
 a rain, and the girls were glad enough to leave 
 their work and come out into the sunshine. 
 
 Banker, who had had two extra days of rest in 
 the stable, was pronounced by Tim to be abso- 
 lutely fit for driving, so it was decreed that they 
 should go to the village for the mail, as they were 
 expecting Betty's answer to their invitation any 
 day. 
 
 "Be careful, Banker may be frisky," Mrs. Far- 
 well called from the porch as they started. 
 
 "We will, good-by," Polly and Lois assured 
 her, as they drove off with a flourish. 
 
 But Banker showed little disposition to be 
 frisky, in fact he showed a decided unwillingness 
 to go at all. The best Polly could do was to urge 
 him into a slow lazy trot. 
 
 "Oh, Banker, wake up, you're crawling,' ' she 
 admonished as they neared the village. 
 
 "Never mind, let him go his own pace; we 
 aren't in a hurry and it's such a bully day," Lois 
 said. 
 
 "All right, if you don't mind, but it's a shame 
 to spoil him. Wonder if we shall hear from 
 Bet?" 
 
 "And Bob." 
 
 "Yes, of course. Wouldn't it be great if they 
 came together," Polly spoke in the most matter 
 of fact tones. Not for worlds would she have 
 
Maud 
 
 57 
 
 Lois guess the thoughts that were worrying her. 
 Ever since she had been sure of Bob's coming she 
 had had a dreadful time with herself. 
 
 There was one Polly who wanted him to come 
 and who hoped that by the end of the summer 
 they would be really good friends, but the other 
 Polly, the one who had come into being at Seddon 
 Hall, was afraid to want him to come. 
 
 If she should show she liked him, and she would, 
 because he was such fun, Betty and Lois might 
 think her sentimental. 
 
 Polly had seen too many girls at school who had 
 been termed "boy crazy/' not to shudder at the 
 idea. But these fits of worrying never lasted very 
 long. The real Polly was far too sensible, and 
 she would always end all arguments with : 6 ' There 
 is no reason why I shouldn't be just as glad to 
 see Bob as Betty," and the other Polly would 
 have to admit she was right. 
 
 " What's the matter? You look worried," 
 Lois interrupted her musing, and Polly came to 
 with a start. 
 
 "Why, nothing," she stammered. "I was only 
 wondering what we would do to amuse them. 
 Betty will be all right, but do you think Bob will 
 like it well enough to say!" 
 
 "Of course he will, silly, he will be just as keen 
 about this place as mother and I are." 
 
 "If it would only get warm we could go in 
 
58 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 swimming, and I'm hoping that Uncle Eoddy will 
 take his boat out of dry dock. ' ' 
 
 "Has Uncle Eoddy a boat?" Lois shot the ques- 
 tion out excitedly. 
 
 "Yes, a wonderful one. It's a forty foot sail, 
 but he hasn't used it for years." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Well, you see he didn't come up often in the 
 summer. Aunt Hannah was sometimes unrea- 
 sonable, so he just stopped coming at all." 
 
 "But the boat, Poll," Lois interrupted hur- 
 riedly. She did not want Polly to think she was 
 curious about her family affairs. 
 
 "I've almost forgotten what it looks like, but 
 I know it's got a big cabin and a place to cook." 
 
 "Wouldn't it be wonderful if it were ready 
 when we had the house party?" 
 
 "Do you think Bob could sail it?" 
 
 "You bet he could. He could sail anything 
 that's sailable." Lois was vain only where her 
 brother was concerned. She had never discovered 
 anything that he could not do. 
 
 By this time they had come in sight of the 
 little green and white village. Each neat white 
 house sat snuggled in its bed of green lawn and 
 each brass knocker shone and sparkled in its at- 
 tempt to outshine its neighbor. 
 
 The grass on the village green was cropped 
 close and looked like a carpet of moss. The four 
 
Maud 
 
 59 
 
 rows of big elm trees encouraged by the rain had 
 burst forth almost fully leafed. 
 
 At the end of the Green was the white church 
 built in 1700, with its double row of leaded win- 
 dows. 
 
 "Oh, Polly, how adorable it looks, it is so 
 clean,' ' Lois exclaimed delightedly. 
 
 Polly laughed; it was a familiar sight to her. 
 
 "That's Miss Hemingway's house, over there/ ' 
 she pointed. 6 ' Want to call on her?" 
 
 "No, thanks," said Lois, looking intently at 
 the house. "I declare, Polly, wouldn't you 
 know it was hers; it's much primmer than the 
 rest." 
 
 "Here's the Post Office" — Polly drew up be- 
 fore an old frame building — "Now for Bet's let- 
 ter." 
 
 They entered to find several people before them. 
 Polly peeked into their box. 
 
 "Look, Lois, there's mail there, and I think that 
 letter is from Betty." 
 
 This proved to be the case. After a consider- 
 able wait, followed by a long gossip with the post- 
 mistress, who was greatly interested in Polly and 
 her " boarding school friend," the letter was 
 pushed through the tiny window and eagerly 
 opened. 
 
 "It is from Bet," Lois said. "Bead it quickly. 
 Can she come? When! Oh, do hurry." 
 
60 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Oh, wait a minute, it's in verse, listen,' ' and 
 Polly read: 
 
 Dear Poll and Lo: 
 
 Will I come and make you a visit? 
 I'll be with you day after to-morrow, 
 And the fact that I can't get there sooner 
 Is all that causes me sorrow. 
 I'm so excited to see you 
 That I'm standing on my head 
 And writing this silly jingle, 
 When I ought to be in bed. 
 
 Jemima! this place is awful, 
 It's nothing but rocking chairs 
 Filled with knitting old ladies 
 And couples that hunt in pairs. 
 The girls our age are just silly; 
 They giggle the whole day through. 
 You bet I'll be glad to leave them 
 To come and talk sense with you. 
 
 Why, they don't know the meaning of basket-ball, 
 Never heard of Seddon Hall. 
 Lordy! I thought we were famous; 
 My pride got a terrible fall. 
 Do forgive this foolish rhyming, 
 But I'm much too thrilled to be sane, 
 And I simply can't wait for the minute, 
 To get on that blessed train. 
 Good-by for sixty-two hours. 
 
 P. S. Arrive at your station at 3 p. M. Thursday, if I don't 
 get lost in New Haven. Don't you dare to forget to meet me. 
 
 Excitedly, 
 
 Bet. 
 
 Lois and Polly laughed long and heartily over 
 the letter. 
 
Maud 
 
 61 
 
 * i Isn't that great, I'm so glad she can come, and 
 isn't that poem just like her!" Polly demanded, 
 delighted at the prospect of having her friend with 
 her so soon. 
 
 "We must read it to mother; there's a Jemima 
 and a Lordy both in it," laughed Lois, then, 
 under her breath: " Polly, quick, get in the cart, 
 Miss Hemingway is just coming out of her house, 
 and if she speaks to me, I'll run." 
 
 They jumped in hurriedly, and Polly touched 
 Banker with the whip, and before Miss Heming- 
 way had reached the box-wood hedge that bor- 
 dered her trim little lawn, they had put the Green 
 between them. 
 
 Banker, his head high, now that their direc- 
 tion was homeward, trotted briskly along. 
 
 Polly let the reins fall slack on his back and 
 took off her big sun hat. The soft wind blew 
 her hair about her face and made flaunting flags 
 out of her enormous sailor tie. They reread and 
 discussed Betty's letter and planned for her visit. 
 It was absorbing and it made them forget their 
 immediate surroundings. 
 
 Banker slowed up as he came to the first of the 
 home hills and took it at a sedate walk. But 
 when he reached the top and saw the straight level 
 half mile, which Tim called the breathing stretch, 
 that connected the two, his mind flew to his peace- 
 ful box stall, and he broke into a quick trot. Polly 
 
62 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 tightened her hold on the reins from habit and 
 went on talking about Betty. 
 
 "Can you imagine Bet in an hotel ?" she 
 laughed. 
 
 "I should say not. I'd loved to have seen her 
 face when the other girls said they'd never heard 
 of Seddon Hall. I wonder what Ange and Connie 
 are doing this summer. We promised to write 
 them; we must too, Polly.' ' 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Why do you suppose we haven't had a letter 
 from Louise?" 
 
 Polly looked thoughtful. Louise Preston had 
 been the President of the Senior Class and Cap- 
 tain of the basket ball team at Seddon Hall and 
 Polly and Lois were devoted to her, and had taken 
 her as a sort of model all the past winter. The 
 fact that their several letters to her had remained 
 unanswered caused them no little disappoint- 
 ment. 
 
 "I've written her twice," Polly said reluc- 
 tantly; "perhaps she's forgotten us." 
 
 "Don't you suppose she meant it when she 
 asked us to visit her at camp this summer?" asked 
 Lois. 
 
 "I thought — whoa, Banker — oh, look — " Pol- 
 ly's warning came too late. 
 
 Unknown to them, Banker had quickened his 
 trot to a gallop as he neared the haunted house. 
 
Maud 
 
 63 
 
 The rain had dislodged one of the stones that 
 marked the driveway ; it had been white once, but 
 was now a muddy brown. In his rush for home, 
 Banker did not see it and as the already strained 
 right wheel of the cart struck it, there was a 
 sudden jar and the wheel broke with a loud crack. 
 Polly and Lois were thrown together on the low 
 side of the cart. The blue of sky and the green 
 trees swam before them. 
 
 Then, almost at once they were conscious of a 
 voice calling: 
 
 "Oh, help, help, they're hurt." 
 
 Polly collected her wits. Lois was badly dazed, 
 and looked up and into two blue eyes — startled 
 wide with terror. They belonged to a slim little 
 figure completely enveloped by a white pinafore, 
 her flaxen braids hung almost to her knees 
 and her hands were pressed tight against her 
 heart, 
 
 Polly at once recognized her as the mysterious 
 child. 
 
 "Don't be frightened," she said, smiling as- 
 surance. "We're not a bit hurt, that is, I'm not. 
 How about you, Lo?" 
 
 Lois was holding one hand up to her cheek, and 
 looking bewildered. At Polly's question she took 
 it away, it was covered with blood and her cheek 
 showed a deep cut. 
 
 "I'm sort of dizzy. I guess I scratched my 
 
64 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 face," she faltered. Polly saw, or thought she 
 saw, signs of fainting. 
 
 Turning quickly to the child, she said hurriedly: 
 "Get me some water quick." It was more like a 
 command than a request, and the child hurried to 
 obey. 
 
 Polly tied Banker to a tree, helped Lois out of 
 the cart on to the grass beside the road and waited 
 impatiently. At last the mysterious child re- 
 turned, but empty handed. 
 
 "Where's the water?" Polly demanded. She 
 was worried about Lois and fear made her voice 
 sharp. 
 
 " It 's coming at once. ' ' The words were hardly 
 spoken before Polly heard excited voices behind 
 the high hedge. Two women appeared; one was 
 short and stout, she was carrying a pitcher of 
 water in one hand, and a bottle of smelling salts 
 in the other. With her was the most beautiful 
 woman Polly had ever seen. Her face was very 
 pale and she was dressed in black. She raised 
 her hands to her heart exactly as the little girl had 
 done. 
 
 "Poor child," she exclaimed, dropping on her 
 knees beside Lois and supporting her head against 
 her shoulder. "Some water, Susan," she di- 
 rected. "Here, dear, drink this, and now smell 
 these salts. What an ugly cut, but it is best for 
 it to bleed, the cold water may sting," she added 
 
Maud 
 
 65 
 
 as she dipped a handkerchief into the glass and 
 bathed the cheek. 
 
 Lois opened her eyes; she had not exactly 
 fainted, but the shock had made her very dizzy. 
 Polly held one of her hands. 
 
 "All right, Lo?" she asked. 
 
 "Yes, of course. Oh, thank you ever so much," 
 she added, noticing the mysterious lady for the 
 first time. 
 
 "Don't mention it, dear. Here, Susan, help 
 me to get her into the house. Don't you think she 
 had better rest before she tries to walk," she 
 added, turning to Polly. 
 
 Between them they helped her up the drive — 
 under the solemn pine trees — to the shaky front 
 steps, and at last into the house. 
 
 To Polly it was a thrilling event. All her life 
 she had wondered and dreamed, and listened to 
 servants' tales about the gaunt old place, until it 
 had resembled a living thing rather than an inani- 
 mate object. And now, after all these years of 
 speculation, she was crossing the threshold in the 
 most matter of fact way. 
 
 What she expected to find beyond the door was 
 not easily explained; she imagined all sorts of 
 queer shapes and shadows, combined with hollow 
 Qoises, creaking boards, eerie green lights and a 
 damp cellar smell. 
 
 As Susan opened the door, all the pictures that 
 
66 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 her childish mind had ever painted came back to 
 her and she hesitated. Only for a fraction of a 
 second, however, for the delightful scene that met 
 her eyes dispelled all gloom. 
 
 The living room into which they led Lois was 
 bright with gay colored chintz and wicker furni- 
 ture. It was the happiest room possible. 
 
 Polly's surprise was so great that she forgot 
 to help Lois and stood looking about her, until the 
 beautiful lady spoke. 
 
 "Lie here on the sofa, dear child, and rest; 
 here is a cushion for your head. Now are you 
 quite comfy? Maud, dear, will you run up to 
 mother's room and get that light shawl ?" 
 
 Polly smiled to herself. Maud so exactly suited 
 the long, fair hair and wide blue eyes of the mys- 
 terious child. 
 
 "It's awfully nice of you to take all this trou- 
 ble," she said aloud to Maud's mother. "I don't 
 know how it all happened. Banker was very 
 frisky and I guess Lo and I weren't paying much 
 attention. Then you see we'd been stuck in the 
 mud last week and I believe it strained the wheel 
 more than we guessed." 
 
 "What a pity, the cart is badly hurt, I'm 
 afraid." 
 
 "I suppose I ought to get Banker home. May 
 I use your telephone?" Polly asked embarrassed, 
 without knowing why. 
 
Maud 
 
 67 
 
 The beautiful lady smiled. "We have no tele- 
 phone, but I'll send Susan up to your home with 
 any message," she said. 
 
 "Oh, don't bother, we live just up the hill and 
 I'll go. Lois' mother will be worried if we don't 
 come back," Polly protested. 
 
 "You're a plucky child, but I wouldn't dream 
 of letting you. You don't realize it, but you've 
 had a bad shaking up and ought to rest. Tell 
 me where the house is and Susan will go at 
 once." 
 
 After more protests from Polly and firm de- 
 termination on the part of Maud's mother, Susan 
 left with a message for Mrs. Farwell. When she 
 had gone Maud returned with the shawl and her 
 mother laid it over Lois. 
 
 "I wish you wouldn't bother," Lois insisted, as 
 she straightened it. "I'm really quite all right; 
 it's awfully stupid my being dizzy like this." 
 
 "Why, it's the most natural thing in the world. 
 You are both very plucky to make so little fuss. 
 I'm sure had it happened to Maud or me, we would 
 have been in bed for a week." 
 
 Polly laughed heartily at this. The speaker 
 was so cool and calm looking that it seemed absurd 
 to picture her as frightened. 
 
 "That's hard to believe," she said shyly. 
 "You don't look, well, very scary." 
 
 It was the lovely lady's turn to laugh. 
 
68 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "She doesn't know me, does she, Maud?" she 
 said, turning to her daughter. 
 Maud laughed nervously and said: 
 "No." 
 
 It suddenly struck both Polly and Lois that this 
 was the first word she had spoken. 
 
 "Polly can't understand any one being afraid," 
 Lois remarked, more for something to say than 
 from a spirit of bragging. "She's the bravest 
 girl at school. She was in the infirmary with a 
 sprained ankle once, and — " 
 
 "Oh, Lo, I do wish you wouldn't," Polly inter- 
 rupted. But Lois would have continued had it 
 not been for the return of Susan with Mrs. Far- 
 well, who looked worried and frightened. 
 
 "Lois darling," she said, excitedly. "What is 
 the matter?" 
 
 "Nothing, Mum dearest, we just got spilled out 
 of the pony cart and I cut my cheek. Mrs. — " 
 She stopped and looked questioningly at the lovely 
 lady. "This is my mother, Mrs. Farwell," she 
 ended. 
 
 "How do you do, Mrs. Farwell. I am Mrs. 
 Banks. I'm afraid we haven't had time to tell 
 names." 
 
 The two women looked at each other for a min- 
 ute and then they both smiled, and Mrs. Farwell 
 said: 
 
 "I can't thank you enough for being so kind 
 
Maud 
 
 69 
 
 to Lois. I admit when I heard there 'd been an 
 accident, I jumped to conclusions and saw them 
 both dead. Polly, dear, are you all right?" she 
 added, putting an arm on Polly's shoulder and 
 kissing the top of her head. "Do tell me how it 
 happened." 
 
 Polly explained, and finished with : 
 
 "The first thing I knew some one was saying, 
 'Help, they are hurt!' and it was Miss Banks." 
 She smiled at Maud, who had sat like a statue in 
 the corner of the room. Mrs. Farwell followed 
 her glance and was ashamed to realize that she 
 had paid no attention to the child. 
 
 "How very lucky you happened to be there," 
 she said, and getting up crossed the room and 
 seated herself beside Maude, and in a few minutes 
 they were holding a lively conversation in low 
 tones. 
 
 Mrs. Banks went out to help Susan make some 
 tea, and Polly took Lois' hand. 
 
 "Are you really feeling better ? How you 
 scared me," she whispered. 
 
 "Poor old Poll, I'm sorry, but wasn't it funny! 
 We nearly scared the mysterious child into fits. 
 She hasn't said a word." 
 
 "Look at her now," Polly nodded at the two. 
 A few minutes later tea was served and it was a 
 very jolly affair. The accident was the main 
 topic of conversation, and Lois with her cut cheek 
 
70 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 the most important person. They lingered over 
 their cups until after five. Mrs. Banks and Maud 
 walked with them to the gate, and watched them 
 out of sight. 
 
 "Well, girls, you've seen the haunted house," 
 Mrs. Farwell laughed as they walked up the hill. 
 She had an arm about each of them. "Did you 
 find any mysteries f" 
 
 "Not a one," Lois answered. "They're just 
 plain ordinary people." 
 
 "No, they're not," contradicted Polly. 
 "They're still mysterious. Why did the maid 
 tell the minister's wife that Mrs. Banks was 
 an invalid, and why does she look so sad, 
 and why won't Maud talk when her mother's 
 there?" 
 
 "Perhaps she's nervous," suggested Lois. 
 
 "With her own mother! How foolish; she 
 talked to Mrs. Farwell." 
 
 "She's not very happy. I think you're right, 
 Polly," Mrs. Farwell said. "There is some mys- 
 tery about them. I asked Mrs. Banks to call and 
 she hesitated quite a while before she said, 'Yes, 
 I will, thank you.' " 
 
 They talked the matter over all evening and de- 
 cided that, mystery or not, they were not happy, 
 and although Maud was awfully uninteresting 
 they determined to cheer her up. In the new ex- 
 citement, Betty's letter was forgotten. It was 
 
Maud 
 
 71 
 
 Lois who remembered it hours later, when they 
 were getting ready for bed. 
 
 ' ' Polly Pendleton, do you know we forgot to tell 
 mother about Bet's letter!" she exclaimed, com- 
 ing to Polly's door and startling Sandy, already 
 asleep, by her excited tones. 
 
 "Let's tell her this minute. Wait a shake 'till 
 I get my kimona. ' ' 
 
 They ran downstairs to the drawing-room, 
 where Mrs. Farwell was writing letters, and told 
 her their news. 
 
 Instead of receiving it with surprise Mrs. Far- 
 well looked horror stricken. 
 
 "Girls," she gasped, "Bob is coming to-morrow 
 and I forgot to tell you. Did you ever hear of 
 such a thing ! ' ' 
 
 "Bob, to-morrow!" 
 
 "And Bet, the day after!" 
 
 ' 1 When did you hear f ' ' 
 
 "He sent a wire, and they 'phoned it up from 
 the village." 
 
 "Oh, joy! oh, joy! oh, joy!" Lois danced 
 wildly around the room, landing at last in a heap 
 on one corner of the sofa. 
 
 Polly dropped to a stool on the hearth, and 
 Mrs. Farwell gave up letter writing for that night. 
 
 As they gathered around the fire, too excited to 
 think of sleep, they talked and planned until the 
 wee small hours. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE SUMMER BEGINS 
 
 Bob stood on the little village station platform, 
 one arm around Lois and the other around his 
 mother. The train by which he had arrived was 
 steaming leisurely out of sight, leaving a cloud 
 of sunlit dust and smoke in its wake. 
 
 "Oh, Bob, but I am glad to see you," Lois ex- 
 claimed, joyfully tugging at his arm as Mrs. Far- 
 well offered her cheek to be kissed. "Are you 
 going to stay a long time 1 9 9 
 
 Bob nodded his head, returned her embrace and 
 kissed his mother vigorously. 
 
 "Hello, what's the matter with your face, Lo?" 
 he asked, noticing the strips of adhesive plaster. 
 Lois explained, and by doing so brought Polly 
 into the conversation. 
 
 "Er, where is Miss Pendleton?" Bob asked, in 
 his most offhand manner. 
 
 "Why, she was here a second ago," Lois said, 
 wonderingly. ' 1 Oh, there she is over by the car- 
 riage. Polly," she called. 
 
 Polly was very busy fixing Joan's bit: When 
 Lois called she came forward. 
 
 72 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 73 
 
 4 4 How do you do, Mr. Farwell, ' ' she said. ' 1 1 'm 
 so glad to see you again. ' ' 
 
 " Thanks,' ' Bob stammered, very awkwardly, 
 Lois thought, and Mrs. Farwell said: "Do come 
 along children, this platform isn't the coolest place 
 in the world to converse.' ' 
 
 They hurried into the carriage. Bob sat beside 
 Tim, and the others crowded into the back seat. 
 Lois kept up a steady stream of talk all the way 
 home, and showed Bob everything, as if she had 
 lived in the village all her life. 
 
 "You seem to be thoroughly at home," he said, 
 when she paused for a minute. 
 
 "I am, Bob, don't you love it! Look, there is 
 the place where the wheel broke, and that's the 
 house that they say is haunted, where they took 
 me in after the accident." 
 
 "See any ghosts?" Bob asked. 
 
 "Not a one." 
 
 "Too bad, perhaps they only walk at night. 
 I'll take mother over some evening, and see if we 
 can scare up a few, she'd love it, wouldn't you, 
 Mother?" 
 
 "No, thank you, Bob," laughed Mrs. Farwell, 
 "you'll have to find another companion for a 
 ghost hunt. Take Polly, perhaps you can frighten 
 her, I doubt it though. The other evening they 
 went for a walk" — and Mrs. Farwell went on to 
 tell him of- their scare, ending with: "Lois ad- 
 
74 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 mitted that she quaked in her shoes, but Polly 
 never turned a hair. 
 
 Bob was about to make an appropriate remark, 
 when they came suddenly in sight of the house. 
 As his mother had done on her first glimpse of it, 
 he exclaimed: "I say, whose house is that? It's 
 a corker.' ' 
 
 "Ours," Lois promptly told him, with all the 
 pride of ownership. 
 
 Bob turned to Polly. "Tell you what it is, Miss 
 Pendleton," he said, "if you don't look out Lois 
 will be saying mine, next." 
 
 "Bobby, how mean you are, besides Polly 
 wouldn't mind if I did, would you, Poll?" 
 
 "Of course I wouldn't, silly," Polly replied. 
 "You can have it all, except Sandy and the grand- 
 father clock. That's Mrs. Farwell's." 
 
 "There, you see!" Lois was triumphant. 
 
 "Who's Sandy?" Bob asked, as he helped them 
 out at the old-fashioned carriage block. At the 
 first sound of the wheels on the drive Sandy had 
 rushed to meet them. He had been left home be- 
 cause of his lately acquired habit of running un- 
 der the cars. He was now jumping up on Polly, 
 and barking joyfully. 
 
 "He seems to be speaking for himself," she 
 laughed, answering Bob's question. "Down, 
 Sandy, and give your paw like a gentle- 
 man." 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 75 
 
 Sandy obeyed, and Bob took the offered paw and 
 shook it gravely. 
 
 "I'm not surprised that yon won't give him np. 
 You're a fine old fellow." They were both pat- 
 ting Sandy now. 
 
 "Do you like dogs?" Polly asked. 
 
 "You bet, there's nothing finer on earth, than a 
 good dog. ' ' 
 
 "I'm awfully glad you think so — we've two 
 others." 
 "Eeally, what kind?" 
 "Setters." 
 "Irish?" 
 
 "No, English, black and white." 
 "Do show them to me." 
 "Now?" 
 
 "Yes, why not?" 
 
 "All right, come on, they're in the barn." 
 
 "Do you hunt with them?" 
 
 "I? Certainly not, Uncle Eoddy does though." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell and Lois had reached the house 
 during this conversation. They turned. 
 
 "Well, I never," Lois exclaimed. "They 
 haven't even started." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell smiled, ""Well, dear, you know 
 Bob when he starts talking about dogs." 
 
 "I know he has to be interrupted," Lois replied. 
 
 "Oh, you two," she called, "aren't you ever 
 coming?" 
 
76 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Her voice reached Bob across the lawn. He had 
 just said: 
 
 "Well, where's the barn, Miss Pendleton?" 
 And Polly had answered : 
 
 "The other side of the house; if we go well 
 have to leave Sandy here, he's fearfully jealous.' ' 
 
 At that point they were aware of Lois' voice. 
 Bob turned, as if suddenly struck with a happy 
 inspiration. 
 
 "We're going around to the barn first," he 
 called ; "you keep Sandy here with you, will you?" 
 
 Lois put both hands on her hips and gasped. 
 
 "Well, I never, if that's not the nicest way of 
 saying, 1 you 're not wanted, sister dear.' " Then 
 she laughed so hard that she had scarcely breath 
 left to whistle for Sandy. Two hours later, when 
 they sat down to dinner, Polly and Lois had 
 changed their sailor suits for dimity dresses, and 
 Bob had exchanged his tweed Norfolk suit for 
 white ducks. 
 
 The flicker of the four candles looked pale in 
 the rays of the setting sun that slanted through 
 the diamond panes of the window, lighting up un- 
 expected corners of the dark room. 
 
 Bob surveyed the scene with delight. One ray 
 of light rested on Mrs. Farwell's shoulder and lost 
 itself in her soft brown hair, as she sat in the 
 quaint, high backed chair at the head of the table, 
 and he thought, as he always did, when he had been 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 77 
 
 away from her, how particularly nice and com- 
 fortable it was that this particular mother was his 
 mother. From her he glanced at Lois and then 
 at Polly. "Pretty much alright," he said under 
 his breath. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell looked up and put her hand on his 
 affectionately. 
 
 "Dear old Bobby, it is nice to have you with us," 
 she said. 
 
 "Jemima Jinks! I knew there was something 
 I wanted to tell you, Bob," Lois exclaimed, 
 suddenly upsetting the calm in which every- 
 one was eating soup. "Betty is coming to-mor- 
 row. ' ' 
 
 "Tell me something I don't know," Bob teased. 
 "You didn't know it." 
 "I did." 
 
 "Who told you?" 
 "Polly." 
 
 It was the first time he had called Polly anything 
 but Miss Pendleton. He was rather surprised at 
 himself, but no one seemed to notice it, so he went 
 on to ask : 
 
 "She's the girl who fell into the pond, isn't 
 she?" 
 
 "The river," corrected Lois. 
 
 "The river then," Bob continued. "And she 
 plays basket-ball almost as well as you do. How 
 long is she going to stay?" 
 
78 Polly *s Summer Vacation 
 
 "For two weeks anyway, and longer if we can 
 make her," Polly told him. 
 
 "Oh, then 111 see something of her. I have to 
 go back to school Sunday night for one more ex- 
 amination on Monday." 
 
 This announcement was met with a groan from 
 the others, which turned to smiles as Bob con- 
 tinued, "But I'll be back Tuesday for the rest of 
 the summer. That is, if you can stand me." 
 
 "We'll try," Polly said demurely. 
 
 "How about bringing some fellows back with 
 me, while Betty's here?" he asked, acting on the 
 hint his mother had let fall in one of her letters. 
 
 "Oh, will you, Bob? I know we could have a 
 good time." Lois dropped her teasing tone, and 
 became very serious. i ' You 're a darling. ' ' 
 
 "Yes, I'll see who I can scare up on Monday." 
 
 Dinner went merrily by to the tune of their com- 
 ing house-party. They made plan after plan, to 
 discard each as a better one came to mind. 
 
 After dinner, Lois and Polly took Bob for a 
 walk, and showed him the haunted house. The 
 last trace of the sun was still in the sky and the 
 old tumble down barn, and ragged wall, lost by 
 the faint light some of the eerie spookiness it had 
 had by night. 
 
 On the way back, Bob and Polly decided to per- 
 sonally put the two setters to bed in the barn, and 
 Lois said, "Well, I never," for the second time 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 79 
 
 that day, as she was requested to take Sandy back 
 with her. 
 
 After they had locked the carriage house door 
 and waited to hear the dogs stop barking and set- 
 tle down in the straw, they loitered back over the 
 lawn through the deepening twilight. 
 
 Bob said: " Polly, you don't mind my calling 
 you Polly, do you ? ' ' 
 
 "Not if I may call you Bob. 
 
 "Well, of course, then it's a go — shake.' ' 
 
 They shook hands solemnly and Bob went on: 
 "I have a scheme up my sleeve and you've got to 
 help me. I think I can work it." 
 
 "Go on, I'll do anything I can," Polly prom- 
 ised. 
 
 "What was the boy like w T ho pulled Betty out 
 of the river that day?" 
 
 "Why he had awfully red hair and — " but the 
 rest of the conspiracy was lost in the darkness. 
 
 Betty arrived next day. Her letter had said 
 she would reach the village at three o'clock. 
 
 "And that means she will have to change at 
 New Haven at twelve-thirty," Bob said, at break- 
 fast. "Let's meet her there." 
 
 His suggestion was received with delight by 
 Polly and Lois. They bolted the rest of their 
 breakfast and were ready for the one morning 
 train at ten o'clock. 
 
 They drove down in the pony cart and reached 
 
80 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 the station just in time to see it lumbering in. 
 They had the car to themselves, and sat down be- 
 side the one window that would open. 
 
 Polly and Lois sat together, and Bob turned 
 over the seat and rode backward. 
 
 "Phew, this is a wild thing to do," he com- 
 mented, fanning himself with his straw hat. 
 "This Betty person had better be awfully nice or 
 111 resent having been dragged out on a day like 
 this to meet her." 
 
 Polly and Lois both exclaimed, at once : 
 
 < 6 Well, I like that ! Who suggested it?" 
 
 Bob took up the argument and carried it on to 
 the rattle and bump of the train, as it wandered 
 along through green fields. 
 
 They were at the heat of their argument, when 
 suddenly and without warning they plunged into 
 a long dark tunnel. The smoke rushed through 
 the window, and a cinder flew into Polly's eye, be- 
 fore Bob had a chance to pull down the sash. 
 
 "Oh! ouch, my eye," she cried, "it's killing 
 me!" 
 
 Lois had been speaking as they entered the tun- 
 nel and in consequence had her mouth open. She 
 swallowed some coal gas and was choking vio- 
 lently. 
 
 "Ger, ger, oh, Bob, do something," she wailed 
 between coughs, 
 Bob was already making frantic stabs at Polly's 
 
The Summer Begins 81 
 
 eye. He turned and gave Lois a resounding thump 
 on the back. 
 
 "Go get a drink,' ' he ordered, and returned to 
 Polly. 
 
 After a few dark minutes they emerged from 
 the tunnel and with the light to aid them, the cin- 
 der was soon out. 
 
 "Oh, thanks, ever so much, what a tiny speck 
 for me to make such a fuss about," Polly said 
 apologetically. 
 
 "That's all right, I know how they can hurt. 
 I guess it was a piece of steel. Besides you didn't 
 make much fuss," Bob replied consolingly. 
 
 Lois looked out of the window. It was one 
 thing to have Bob and Polly like each other, but 
 to have them like each other to the complete ex- 
 clusion of herself, even when she was choking, was 
 another. She kept a half injured, half joking 
 silence until they reached New Haven, then the 
 prospect of meeting Betty caused her to forget 
 her minute of jealousy. 
 
 "We have fifteen minutes to wait," said Bob 
 as they stepped to the platform. 
 
 "Let's stay out here, it's so awfully hot in 
 that waiting room," Lois suggested. "Give me a 
 penny, Bob, I want to get weighed. 
 
 They spent the time until Betty's arrival in 
 trying all the weighing machines in the station, 
 and wandering up and down. When the an- 
 
82 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 nouncer called the incoming train from New York 
 they took up their positions at different parts of 
 the station, so as not to miss her. 
 
 It was not until Bob, who was watching oppo- 
 site the parlor car section, saw a girl dressed in 
 brown linen, followed by a porter with bags, look- 
 ing dazedly around, that he realized that he did 
 not know Betty. He had probably seen her on his 
 visit to Lois, but he would never recognize her 
 here. 
 
 He was panic sticken, Lois and Polly seemed 
 miles away down the platform, and in the mean- 
 time, the girl in brown was looking awfully puz- 
 zled and consulting with the porter. Taking his 
 courage in both hands — for it takes courage for 
 a seventeen year old boy to march boldly up to a 
 strange girl of fourteen and ask her if she is 
 Betty. 
 
 But Bob did it. 
 
 He lifted his hat and asked in rather a meek 
 voice : 
 
 < ' Isn't this Betty!" 
 
 The girl in brown turned suddenly. Bob no- 
 ticed she had freckles on her nose, and this reas- 
 sured him. 
 
 " Yes, it is, and you must be Bob. Oh, but I am 
 glad you're here; I was scared to death at the 
 thought of changing cars." 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 83 
 
 Bob sighed his relief, and taking her bags from 
 the porter said: 
 
 "Fine, I wasn't perfectly sure it was you, but 
 I thought I'd take a chance. Lois and Polly are 
 here too, they are waiting for you at the other end 
 of the platform." 
 
 After looking aimlessly about for five minutes, 
 Polly and Lois were located, and then such a flurry 
 of excitement and welcoming. 
 
 "Bet, you dear." 
 
 "Lo, I'm so glad to see you." 
 
 "Poll, I could eat you." 
 
 "It's wonderful to have you here." 
 
 "I'm so glad you met me." 
 
 "By the way, how did Bob know you?" Lois de- 
 manded. 
 
 Bob, who had been out of it, and a little embar- 
 rassed at all this kissing, replied : 
 "I didn't, I just took a chance." 
 "But suppose — 
 "Oh, but it was — 
 
 "I wish it hadn't been Betty," Polly said mis- 
 chievously. 
 
 The train for home did not leave for two hours 
 and a half, and they spent the time looking at the 
 college buildings. Betty went into ecstasies over 
 the beautiful green. 
 
 "Wait till you see our green/ 9 Lois told her, 
 
84 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' • it's a thousand times more adorable than this." 
 
 But Betty insisted it couldn't be. They had 
 luncheon at the Taft, and loitered so long over it 
 that they had to make a frantic rush for the train. 
 
 Tim met them at the station. They drove up 
 the hill, all talking at once. They were in such 
 good spirits, and Betty's questions were so merry 
 that they passed the haunted house without giv- 
 ing it a glance. Had they looked, they would have 
 seen a small figure in white watch them pass and 
 then walk dejectedly up the tangled and untidy 
 path. 
 
 It was not until a couple of hours later, when 
 the party was seated on the lawn waiting for the 
 dinner gong, that Betty, noticing the scar — now 
 almost healed — on Lois' cheek, brought the subject 
 to mind and Lois told her about the upset. Betty 
 was as thrilled as they had expected, and insisted 
 on hearing the smallest detail. 
 
 1 1 Where is this house, did we pass it?" she de- 
 manded. 
 
 "Yes, but we were so busy talking I forgot to 
 show it to you. It's next this one." 
 
 "We can see it from the end of the barn," Lois 
 said. 
 
 Betty hesitated. 
 
 "Shall I see it now, or shall I wait for moon- 
 light? Jemima, I guess I'd better see it in day- 
 light first and get used to it," she ended in a laugh. 
 
The Summer Begins 
 
 85 
 
 "Come on, Lo." Together they ran down to- 
 ward the end of the lawn. 
 Bob turned to Polly. 
 
 "How about seeing the dog's," he suggested. 
 "Excuse us, won't you, Mother?" 
 
 "Of course, dear, go along." 
 
 As they walked away Mrs. Farwell smiled and 
 added to herself : "Well, I needn't have worried 
 about Betty making an odd number. If she does 
 go off with Lois, Polly won't lack for company as 
 long as Bob's here." 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 UNCLE CY's LOBSTER POTS 
 
 Bob left Monday morning and the girls saw him 
 off at the station. He waited for the train, one 
 foot on the cart step, his arm resting on the basket 
 top, and a look on his face that Lois described as 
 positively hopeless. They all did their best to 
 cheer him np and make light of the coming exam- 
 ination, which was a Latin one and therefore to 
 be dreaded. Lois alone was inclined to be pessi- 
 mistic. 
 
 "I always flunk Latin, or else just get through 
 by the skin of my teeth,' ' she said, hopelessly. 
 "And of course a college entrance must be fear- 
 fully stiff." 
 
 "Jemima, Lo, don't be so cheerful," Betty said. 
 "I never heard anything so encouraging, it's 
 enough to make Bob hand in an empty paper." 
 
 "I might as well," growled poor Bob; "that 
 would be better than handing in one that was all 
 wrong. I'm in a pretty state, my hands are like 
 ice already. My teeth will probably chatter the 
 minute the Prof hands me the paper." 
 
 Bob was jesting, of course, but he hoped under 
 
 86 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 87 
 
 the jest his real worry would touch Polly and 
 make her show some signs of sympathy. She had 
 been sitting in the corner of the cart, her back al- 
 most turned to him, and the busy way she was 
 flicking the flies off Banker's back was enough to 
 irritate a boy less used to attention than Bob. 
 His remark, however, made no impression. 
 
 "What happens if you do flunk? " Betty asked. 
 
 "I have to make it up my first year in college." 
 
 "Well, that wouldn't be so bad; you could work 
 extra hard," Lois said. 
 
 "Thanks, I've no doubt I could, but who wants 
 to work extra hard their freshman year? " 
 
 They heard a shrill whistle. 
 
 "Here comes my train, good-by, I go to be 
 flunked." And Bob picked up his bag with one 
 hand and extended the other. 
 
 "What a silly way to talk," Polly spoke all of a 
 sudden. "You know perfectly well you'll get 
 through," and she shook his hand so decidedly, 
 that Bob felt it was sort of foolish to fuss about 
 an exam, especially before a lot of girls. 
 
 "I guess you're right, Polly. Anyway, wish 
 me luck, good-by." 
 
 "Good-by." 
 
 "Good-by." 
 
 "Good-by." 
 
 And he was gone. 
 
 Polly turned Banker's head towards home. 
 
88 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "What shall we dor' she asked. 
 
 i 6 Stop for the mail first. I want to show Betty 
 Miss Hemingway's house. I told her all about 
 her call last night, when you and Bob were at the 
 barn, ' ' Lois said teasingly. 
 
 "Oh, do, I bet after Lois' description I can pick 
 it out." 
 
 Polly, after a good deal of persuasion, forced 
 Banker to take the road to the village. 
 
 "Now that Bob's gone, we can really talk," 
 Lois said. "Do you know any school news, 
 Bet?" 
 
 "Yes, do tell us," Polly urged. "Have you 
 heard from Angela and Connie?" 
 
 "Of course, you see, at the hotel I didn't have 
 anything else to do but write letters, and I wrote 
 Ange reams one day. She was so surprised that 
 she answered straight off. She and Connie are 
 going to camp the first of July somewhere up in 
 Pennsylvania. Connie wrote that she knew she 
 wouldn't like it, that that part of the country was 
 full of snakes and man eating flies. Ange drew a 
 picture of a large black snake chasing Connie up 
 the side of a cliff. I brought it with me to show 
 you." 
 
 " Heard from anybody else; didn't you write 
 the Spartan!" Polly asked. 
 
 "Eh, — oh, yes, every single day, in Latin, too." 
 Betty chuckled at the idea. "Just imagine the 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 
 
 89 
 
 Spartan's face if she got a letter from me. I did 
 see Florence Guile though, in Xew York, before 
 we went to the country. Wasn't it tough luck 
 about Louise?" 
 
 "What about her?" demanded Polly and Lois 
 in one breath. 
 
 ' 'TThy, don't you know ? ' ' Betty's surprise was 
 apparent in her voice. 
 
 "No, tell us quick." 
 
 "Well, don't get excited, she's better now. She 
 had an attack of appendicitis a week after she left 
 school, and had to have an operation. Florence 
 said she was awfully ill, Of course I thought 
 you 'd know. ' ' 
 
 Polly and Lois exchanged glances that seemed to 
 say: "That accounts for it," but they were 
 spared explaining to Betty, by arriving at the 
 post office. As they drew up to the carriage block, 
 they saw an old man, brown and weather beaten, 
 his scanty, sunburned hair covered by a dilapi- 
 dated captain's cap ; he was wearing a ragged pair 
 of khaki trousers that were stuffed into high boots. 
 He was standing by the hitching post and was 
 carrying a market basket filled with lobsters. 
 
 Polly recognized him and gave a cry of pleas- 
 ure. "Hello, Uncle Cy," she called. "How are 
 you?" 
 
 Uncle Cy, or to give the title he loved best, Cap- 
 tain Cy, looked up and whistled, "Waal I want 
 
90 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 to know," he ejaculated, "if it isn't Miss Polly. 
 Nobody's told me you was back." 
 
 "I haven't been, very long, and I haven't had 
 a bit of time to go down and see you. These are 
 my friends, Miss Lois and Miss Betty. This is 
 Captain Cy, one of my oldest friends." 
 
 The captain shook hands all round and beamed 
 on them. 
 
 "I want to know!" he said again. 
 
 "How is the lobster business this year? That 
 looks like a fair haul," Polly pointed to the basket. 
 
 "Them, h'm, there's only five there, and I pulled 
 twenty pots to get 'em." 
 
 Polly shook her head sympathetically. 
 
 "Uncle Cy, won't you take us lobstering some 
 day? I know my friends would be crazy about it, 
 and you know how much I love it," she said 
 eagerly. 
 
 "Why, shucks, of course I will, you don't have 
 to ask me that. When d'you want to go?" 
 
 "Oh, to-day please," exclaimed Betty. "Je- 
 mima, what a lark ! ' ' 
 
 "Have you pulled to-day?" Polly asked. 
 
 Uncle Cy looked as if his feelings were hurt. 
 
 "You sure have changed considerable, Miss 
 Polly," he said, reproachfully, "or you'd know the 
 tide won't be high till half past one." He turned 
 to Betty, "I'll take you to-day sure, glad to have 
 company," he said. 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 91 
 
 "Oh, will you? Lordy, I hope it's rough, I 
 never fished for lobsters.' ' 
 
 Betty stopped at a loud chuckle from Uncle Cy. 
 
 "Lan's sake ! fish for 'em, waal I never did that 
 myself." 
 
 "But how do you catch them?" Betty looked 
 bewildered. 
 
 ' ' Best thing to do is to come and see. Ain't 
 that right, Miss Polly?" 
 
 "You bet. "We'll be at your beach at a little 
 after one, is that all right?" Polly said. 
 
 "That's all right fer me," Uncle Cy drawled. 
 1 'Better dress up warm, it's kind a' cold out by the 
 Mermaid." 
 
 "Will we go as far out as that?" Polly asked 
 joyfully. 
 
 6 6 Eeckon we will ; the little lady here wants it to 
 be rough." 
 
 "Oh, Betty, how can you?" groaned Lois. "I 
 know I'll die." 
 
 "It won't be as bad as that," Polly assured her; 
 1 i don 't worry. ' ' 
 
 "If you begin to feel squeamish we can always 
 come back," Uncle Cy said wisely. "Now I wish 
 you good-by, I gotta fix up my boat if we're to 
 carry passengers." And with little appearance 
 of haste, Uncle Cy swung off down the green. 
 
 Betty in the excitement of anticipation had said 
 that pulling lobster pots would be a lark, but it 
 
92 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 was not until they were settled in Uncle Cy's big 
 boat that she realized that lark was not half ex- 
 pressive enough. 
 
 The boat was a big tubby steam launch with 
 a noisy, greasy engine. There was plenty of room 
 to move around and no fear of falling out. 
 
 They left the dock at a little after one. Polly 
 sat on a pile of ropes and steered. 
 
 "I may have forgotten about the tides, Uncle 
 Cy, but I haven't forgotten the channel," she said, 
 rolling up the sleeves of her middy blouse. 
 
 Betty decided, after trying every part of the 
 boat, to stand at the bow where she could get the 
 full benefit of the spray, and Lois, because she was 
 the most timorous of the party, was given the one 
 camp chair. It was a big, comfortable one with 
 arms ; it was directly in front of the bait box and 
 side of the engine, and the smell of dead fish, mixed 
 with gasoline and oil made Lois feel very squeam- 
 ish, before they had sighted the first swell. 
 
 Uncle Cy was quite content to leave the steering 
 to Polly, and busied himself with ropes, plugs and 
 measuring sticks, while Betty asked questions. 
 
 ' ' What's that long pole for, the one with the 
 hook on the end of it?" she inquired. 
 
 < 'That's to pull the pots with," Uncle Cy told 
 her, opening a tin can filled with small, wedge 
 shaped pieces of wood as he spoke. 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 93 
 
 "Oh, I see." Betty was a little doubtful. 
 ' ' Then what are those for ? ' ' 
 "To plug the lobsters." 
 "Do what ? You 're teasing. ' ' 
 Uncle Cy laughed. 
 
 "You'd see soon enough if I was teasing, if I 
 didn't plug 'em." 
 "Plug 'em where!" 
 
 "Waal, I d'n know as I can exactly tell you 
 where, but it's where a human critter's wrist 
 would be. You put 'em between the j'ints and 
 then they can't nip you." 
 
 "Does Polly know all that!" Betty inquired. 
 
 "Sure, she does. Miss Polly used to know as 
 much about lobster pulling as I does myself. 
 Ain't that true, Miss Polly!" 
 
 "Don't talk to the man at the wheel," Polly an- 
 swered. She was standing erect now, looking 
 straight ahead. There were rocks on every side, 
 and it had been over a year since she had steered 
 a boat. A minute later she called : "Look ahead, 
 a little, to the port side, and you'll see some por- 
 poises." 
 
 "Polly, where!" Lois nearly fell out of her 
 chair, and Betty flew to the other end of the boat. 
 Almost twenty feet away, their shining brown 
 bodies rising and falling in perfect unison, were 
 two good sized porpoises. Polly ran the nose of 
 
94 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 the boat almost on them, before they took fright 
 and swam away. Lois' eyes sparkled with ex- 
 citement, all thoughts of sea sickness forgotten. 
 
 "Oh, aren't they beautiful?" she said; 
 "wouldn't it be fun to draw them, only they 
 wouldn't stand still long enough." 
 
 "Waal, now," Uncle Cy looked amazed, "maybe 
 you're right, but I never did think of them silly 
 things as beautiful before." He was evidently 
 impressed with the newness of the idea. 
 
 Betty noticing a piece of wood, shaped like 
 a cannon cartridge and painted red and black, 
 brought her mind back to lobsters. 
 
 "What's that thing bobbing over there?" she 
 asked. And at the same time Polly called : "Bet- 
 ter turn off the engine, Uncle Cy, here's the first 
 pot." 
 
 Then the excitement of the day began. Polly 
 ran the boat as near to the buoy as she could, and 
 Uncle Cy hooked the rope to which it was at- 
 tached with the long pole, then he pulled in yards 
 of muddy rope until he came to the wooden lob- 
 ster trap with its concave hole, so easy for a lob- 
 ster to walk into, and so impossible for him to 
 leave by. If there were no lobsters inside, over 
 it went again, into the water. This was the case 
 with the first one, but the second proved more 
 fruitful. 
 
 "Oh, look, there are two in it," Betty cried, as 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 95 
 
 Uncle Cy pulled the cage into the boat. "How 
 will you ever get them out!" 
 
 "This way," and Uncle Cy opened a small door 
 at one end and put his hand in, quickly grabbing 
 a lobster in the only spot lobsters can safely be 
 grabbed. "Now let's see if he's long enough to 
 keep," he continued. "If he's less than four and 
 an eighth inches long, that's as big as this meas- 
 ure here, from his nose to the scale of his tail we 
 have to throw him back. Yup, he's all right. 
 Now we'll have to plug him, Miss Betty, see?" 
 Uncle Cy inserted the plugs and threw the lob- 
 sters, now perfectly harmless on the floor of the 
 boat. 
 
 "Now, let's see this fella. Nope, he ain't quite 
 sizeable enough yet." 
 
 "Yes, he is," Betty insisted, "he's just a tiny 
 bit short, that's all." 
 
 "A tiny bit's a tiny bit," Uncle Cy replied and 
 back went the lobster. 
 
 "I don't see how a fraction of an inch can mat- 
 ter." 
 
 "Mebbe not, but suppose I was to go in some 
 day and the inspector was to meet me and ask to 
 see my haul. Guess it would make a difference 
 to me then. 'Sides that," he added, virtuously, 
 "it wouldn't be acting honest by the game laws. 
 There's some as does it, but I ain't one of them." 
 
 Betty felt decidedly snubbed and did not ven- 
 
96 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ture to protest again during the afternoon. 
 Though it did make her cross to see all those good 
 lobsters thrown back for a tiny little fraction of 
 an inch. 
 
 They pulled forty pots and did not reach home 
 until after five o 'clock. They had had a glorious 
 time and were all very much sunburned. Lois had 
 objected at first to the lobsters running around 
 the floor under her feet, but Polly had assured her 
 of their inability to bite by bravely offering her 
 finger to the largest one there. Betty became 
 quite skilled in hooking the buoys. When they 
 left Uncle Cy it was after repeated promises to 
 go out again very soon. 
 
 At the house they found Mrs. Farwell dressing 
 for dinner, and, regardless of their fishy clothes 
 they sat on her bed, and told her all about their 
 afternoon. 
 
 ' 6 Can you imagine anything more fun, Mum- 
 sief " asked Lois, when they had finished. 
 
 " Won't you go with us some day, Mrs. Far- 
 well f I know you 'd love it, please say you will, ' ' 
 Polly begged. 
 
 " Very well, dearest child, I will if you want me 
 to," Mrs. Farwell promised. "And now let me 
 tell you my news. I had a letter from Dad, and 
 he and Uncle Roddy are coming up the third of 
 July for a week." 
 
 "Hurrah!" 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 
 
 97 
 
 "Oh, fine!" 
 
 "And Bob will be here too." 
 The girls were delighted. 
 
 "But that's not all," Mrs. Farwell continued. 
 "I have had company this afternoon, guess who!" 
 
 "Miss Hemingway. " Lois looked frightened 
 at the thought. 
 
 "No, Mrs. Hopper, the minister's wife; she is 
 a charming woman. ' ' 
 
 "But always exaggerating," Lois interrupted, 
 with a mischievous laugh. 
 
 "Lois, darling, that is not a nice way to talk," 
 Mrs. Farwell reproached her. "She asked for 
 you, of course, Polly, dear, and left you her love. 
 She came to tell me about a cake sale they are giv- 
 ing at the church to-night. I promised her we 
 would go, you don't mind, do you!" 
 
 Lois groaned. 
 
 Betty said: "I think it will be fun. 
 
 And Polly added : "Of course it will, I Ve been 
 to dozens of them and they really are nice. There 
 are always lots of funny people there, and the 
 cakes are simply wonderful. 
 
 "Better than Sarah can make!" Lois demanded. 
 
 "Oh, much." 
 
 "Then they must be worth going for. What 
 shall we wear?" 
 
 "Nothing very elaborate. I'll tell you — all of 
 you put on your white sailor suits with the light 
 
98 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 blue collars and ties," Mrs. Farwell suggested. 
 
 "All right, Mumsie darling," Lois laughed. 
 "Do you know, I think if you could, you'd put 
 every girl in the world in a sailor suit," she added, 
 as they left for their own rooms. 
 
 Polly was without doubt quite the most popu- 
 lar person at the sale. All the town's people had 
 known her for years, and were all glad to welcome 
 her back. Early in the evening Miss Hemingway 
 swooped down upon Lois, who was talking in a 
 corner with Betty, and insisted upon giving them 
 lemonade and quantities of cake. Although, to 
 quote her own words : i 1 None of it was fit to eat. ' ' 
 
 Mrs. Farwell bought so much that Tim had to 
 be called in to help take the packages out to the 
 carriage, for there were all kinds of crullers, gin- 
 ger-bread, cookies, pies and cakes imaginable. 
 And as each one seemed to be a specialty of some 
 one person, Mrs. Farwell dared not refuse any, 
 for fear of hurting some one's feelings. About 
 nine o 'clock, Polly found her talking to a number 
 of ladies. 
 
 "Do come out for a little while, the moon is 
 up," she whispered, and as soon as Mrs. Farwell 
 could get away, she slipped out through a door 
 that led to the grave yard. 
 
 "This isn't awfully cheerful, but it's cool," 
 Polly laughed, as they seated themselves on an 
 
Uncle Cy's Lobster Pots 99 
 
 iron bench and surveyed the ghostly white tomb- 
 stones. 
 
 "Do yon know what Bob is going to do, Mrs. 
 Farwell?" Polly asked after a minute of silence. 
 
 "No, dear, but I felt sure you two had some 
 sort of a secret," Mrs. Farwell answered. 
 
 "Well, I'll tell you, but you must promise not 
 to say a word to Lo or Betty." And Polly con- 
 fided the plan that she and Bob had made, the 
 first night of his visit. 
 
 Half an hour later, Lois found them still in the 
 same place. 
 
 "Here you are at last, aren't you most ready to 
 go home ? ' ' she asked. ' i Betty and I are so sleepy 
 it hurts." 
 
 "Yes, dear, of course, I'd no idea it was so 
 late." Mrs. Farwell started for the church. 
 "Polly and I have had such a splendid talk." 
 
 When they were all in the carriage, and on their 
 way home, Lois turned from her seat beside Tim. 
 
 "I'd like to know what you and mother were 
 talking about all that time, ' ' she said. 
 
 Polly chuckled. 
 
 ' 1 She '11 never know, will she, Aunt Kate ? ' ' she 
 asked. 
 
 "Aunt Kate." Lois looked surprised, then 
 pleased. 
 
 "That sounds as if it were names," she said. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 POLLY AND BOB CONSPIRE 
 
 " What do you suppose is the matter with Poll, 
 this morning? She's so excited and mysterious," 
 Lois inquired. She and Betty were on the ter- 
 race. It was the day before the Fourth of July 
 and they had just finished luncheon. 
 
 "I don't know; she hasn't been near us all day; 
 perhaps she's excited because Uncle Eoddy is 
 coming," Betty answered. 
 
 "No, it's not that. She has something up her 
 sleeve. She's out in the barn now talking to 
 Tim." Lois was frankly curious. 
 
 "Let's hunt her up." 
 
 "No, she wouldn't like that. Let's go see if 
 mother has started for the station to meet Dad, 
 and Uncle Eoddy." 
 
 "Is Bob coming on the same train!" 
 
 "No, not till the four forty-nine. Isn't it too 
 bad he couldn't bring any boys with him? I'll 
 bet he didn't try very hard." 
 
 A letter from Bob, saying that it was impos- 
 sible to find any fellows who were not already 
 engaged for over the Fourth, had arrived two days 
 
 100 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 101 
 
 before. Lois and Betty had been loud in their 
 regrets, but Polly, for some reason or other, had 
 taken the news in the most matter of fact way. 
 
 "Oh, mother dear," Lois called as she entered 
 the front hall, "where are yon?" 
 
 "Here, darling." Mrs. Farwell appeared in 
 the library door, her hat and coat on. 
 
 "I've been looking for yon, Lois; I want you 
 and Betty to do something for me." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 "Will yon go down to Mrs. Tomkins and get 
 an extra pint of cream? I hate to bother yon, 
 bnt yon see Tim has to drive to the station, and 
 Sarah can't spare any one from the honse." 
 
 "Of course, we'll go." Betty was delighted at 
 the idea. "I'm simply crazy to meet Mrs. Tom- 
 kins and to see her funny house." 
 
 Lois, however, was not quite so anxious. 
 
 "It's fearfully hot, Mother dear; can't we go 
 in the cart, and isn't Polly to go with us ? " 
 
 Mrs. Farwell hesitated for just a minute. 
 
 "TVhy, I believe there is something the matter 
 with the cart. Isn't the door off? — and Polly 
 can't go; she's busy doing something for me." 
 
 "Oh, come on, Lo," Betty urged; "we can walk 
 through the woods, and it won't be so hot." 
 
 "That's right, Betty; make her go. She's 
 been out in the cart so much that she's forgotten 
 how to walk; it will do her good." 
 
102 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Oh, all right; do you want me to bring home 
 the cream! " Lois asked, with a resigned sigh. 
 
 "Yes, dear, please. Sarah cannot start the ice 
 cream until she gets it, so do hurry up; I'll tell 
 Polly where youVe gone." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell pushed them gently through the 
 door, and watched them down the drive. She 
 smiled to herself as a sentence of Lois' floated 
 back to her. It was : 
 
 "Bet, I wonder what it is that Poll is doing for 
 mother." 
 
 After they had turned into the woods, and were 
 quite out of sight of the house, Mrs. Farwell hur- 
 ried to the barn. 
 
 "Polly," she called, "they are gone." 
 
 "Do you think they suspected anything?" Polly 
 asked. 
 
 She was adjusting Banker's bit; he was hitched 
 to the cart, the door of which was quite unbroken. 
 
 "Lois did; she wanted to know why you were 
 not coming." 
 
 "You don't think she guessed!" 
 
 "Oh, dear, no; she has no idea; I told her you 
 were doing something else, for me." 
 
 "Oh, fine. Hadn't we better go! There's not 
 much time; Tim has started with the carriage." 
 
 Polly was so excited that she danced through 
 the rest of the preparations, and started Banker 
 down the hill at a breakneck speed. 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 103 
 
 They reached the station just as the train pulled 
 in, and Polly and Mrs. Farwell hurried to the 
 platform. 
 
 " There's Bob," Polly cried excitedly, "and 
 there's Uncle Eoddy. Oh, do be careful,' ' she 
 added as Bob swung himself to the ground be- 
 fore the train had really stopped. He was fol- 
 lowed by Mr. Pendleton, Dr. Farwell and two boys 
 of about his own age. 
 
 Polly rushed first to Uncle Eoddy. "Oh, I'm 
 glad to see you," she said, kissing and hugging 
 him. "How do you do, Dr. Farwell?" 
 
 Everybody began talking at once, and the two 
 guests were introduced all around. One was a 
 Mr. Boss, otherwise known as Curly, on account 
 of his hair. He was short, fat and jolly look- 
 ing. The other one was Betty's red-headed hero. 
 His name was Kichard Saxon, and to Polly, with 
 the memory of him as he had appeared that day 
 on the river, it was a disappointment to find him 
 a shy awkward boy. She sighed with relief when 
 she saw he did not remember her. It was so 
 much the better for their plan. 
 
 "You and Mr. Pendleton come with me in the 
 carriage, dear," Mrs. Farwell said to the doctor, 
 after the babble had subsided. "Polly will drive 
 the boys in the cart; Lois and Betty don't know 
 they are coming. This is a scheme of Bob's and 
 Polly's." 
 
104 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 This arrangement completed, Polly started to 
 follow Tim, but Bob put bis band on tbe reins. 
 
 " Don't let's go straigbt borne the sbort way," 
 be said. " Can't we go through tbe village; there 
 must be mail or something to get." 
 
 Polly smiled, turned Banker around, and started 
 him on a trot down the village road, while Curly 
 and Dick looked respectfully at Bob. 
 
 "We won't get the other's dust, this way," 
 Polly said, touching Banker with the whip. 
 
 "How are the dogs?" Bob asked after a min- 
 ute, just for something to say. 
 
 "Jill hurt her foot, but the rest are fine. Sandy 
 will be wild when he sees you," Polly answered. 
 
 "I'll bet he's forgotten me." 
 
 "Well, I know he hasn't; Sandy never forgets 
 anybody he once likes. ' ' Polly was aroused to de- 
 fend her darling's loyalty. 
 
 "Who is Sandy?" Curly asked, "or rather — I 
 know he's a dog, but what kind!" 
 
 "Hje's a great big collie that belongs to Polly," 
 Bob explained. "And he really does belong to 
 her; he follows her like a shadow." 
 
 They continued to talk about dogs until the 
 Post Office was reached. Bob went in for the mail 
 and Polly got out to kill a horse fly that was driv- 
 ing Banker crazy. Getting back in the cart again 
 Bob had time to whisper : 
 
 1 ' Does Betty know 1 ' ' Polly shook her head. 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 
 
 105 
 
 "Not even a suspicion, " she whispered. 
 
 "Good for yon, Dick doesn't either; it onght to 
 be f nn when they meet. ' 9 
 
 Conversation on the way home lagged; Polly 
 had a cold sensation abont her heart. These boys 
 were not nearly as nice as Bob, and if they never 
 intended talking any more than they had so far, 
 what, oh what! was to become of the house party? 
 
 As they turned in the drive, they saw that the 
 rest of the family were sitting on the lawn, evi- 
 dently waiting for them. 
 
 "Quick, Polly, before they see us," whispered 
 Bob. 
 
 Polly touched Banker with the whip, and they 
 dashed around the corner, and up to the carriage 
 block with a flourish. 
 
 Polly led them through the house and out of one 
 of the living-room windows right into the tea- 
 party. The surprise was as great a success as the 
 two conspirators could wish. 
 
 Lois was sharing some cookies with Jack and 
 Jill, who had been admitted at Uncle Koddy's re- 
 quest, and Betty, who was hot after her walk, was 
 drinking quantities of lemonade. The conse- 
 quence was, that on seeing Bob and Polly with 
 two strange boys, they both choked. 
 
 "Why, Mother, who are — " Lois sputtered — 
 she hardly had time to recover before Polly was 
 beside her. 
 
106 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Lois, may I present Mr. Ross and Mr. 
 Saxon ?" she said, with the airs of a queen, and 
 completely ignoring the fact that she was say- 
 ing anything surprising. "This is Lois, Bob's 
 sister; this is Betty Thompson." 
 
 Bob could not help adding, as Betty and the 
 red-headed boy shook hands : 
 
 "Haven't you two met before?" 
 
 Lois managed to say something, but Betty 
 stared speechless at Dick Saxon. 
 
 "Lordy," she gasped. "The red headed boy! 
 Oh, excuse me," she stammered, hopelessly. 
 
 Dick's face got as red as his hair. 
 
 "Why, er, you're the girl I pulled out of the 
 river," he said. 
 
 There was an embarrassed silence for a minute, 
 and then Curly burst out laughing. 
 
 "Can't you see it's a put up game? Old Bob 
 knew all about it," he said. 
 
 They all joined in the laughter, even Doctor and 
 Mrs. Farwell, and Uncle Roddy, who had been 
 amused spectators up to this time. Mrs. Far- 
 well, taking pity on Betty's flaming cheeks, poured 
 out extra glasses of lemonade and turned the con- 
 versation to more general subjects. With the 
 gentle tact always at her command she made them 
 all feel delightfully at ease, and there were no 
 more embarrassing moments. 
 
 An hour later, when they had all gone to their 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 
 
 107 
 
 rooms to dress for dinner, Lois and Betty slipped 
 into Polly's room to talk over the new arrivals. 
 
 "Well, now we know why Poll was so awfully 
 mysterious, ' ' Lois said. "Of all the crafty 
 wretches. Betty and I knew something was up, 
 but of course we never thought of this." 
 
 Polly put her arm affectionately around Betty. 
 "You're not cross, are you, Bet? Bob and I 
 thought it would be such fun. ' ' 
 
 "Lordy, no," laughed Betty. "I think it's fun 
 myself, but, oh, Polly, I almost died when I saw 
 him." 
 
 "I should think you would have," Lois inter- 
 rupted. ' i The idea of calling him the red headed 
 boy." 
 
 "Wasn't it awful, but you know we always 
 called him that at school. ' ' 
 
 "I don't believe he noticed it." Polly was try- 
 ing to be consoling. 
 
 "How do you like him?" 
 
 "Not as much as I always thought I would," 
 Betty said honestly. 
 
 "Why, Bet, did you ever think you'd meet 
 him?" 
 
 "Well, not exactly that." Betty wriggled on 
 her seat by the window. "But of course, after 
 lie had pulled me out of the river — I, well, natu- 
 rally wondered what he was like, and — Well, 
 I didn't think he was like this," she added lamely. 
 
108 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Wait." Lois looked Sphinx like, in her white 
 silk wrapper. "It isn't fair to judge them yet. 
 Boys are always slow at first, but when they get 
 used to things, they sort of wake up — " 
 
 "Curly, oh bother, I mean Mr. Eoss, doesn't 
 seem to be able to do anything but laugh/ ' Betty 
 said, dolefully. 
 
 "Well, your red-headed boy doesn't even do 
 that," Lois retorted, with more resentment than 
 the occasion demanded. She had taken rather a 
 fancy to the tubby Mr. Ross. 
 
 "What will we do with them to-night?" Polly 
 asked hopelessly. She paused, holding her white 
 ivory brush against her dark hair, the picture of 
 distress. 
 
 6 ' Walk, ' ' Lois replied with decision. 1 ' Nothing 
 makes boys forget their shyness like walking." 
 
 Acting on Lois ' idea, Betty suggested a walk to 
 the water after dinner. 
 
 They started off. Polly and Bob were first; 
 they had Sandy between them, and Bob threw 
 sticks for him to chase. Lois and Curly kept up 
 with them and it was not long before their com- 
 mon knowledge of Bob and school gave them a 
 topic of conversation to break the first restraint. 
 As if by mutual consent, Betty had been left to 
 Dick. They loitered behind the rest, both very 
 awkward and uncomfortable. 
 
 It was the most beautiful evening. The air 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 109 
 
 was soft and heavy with the scent of roses. 
 Ahead Sandy's excited bark or Curly 's hearty 
 laugh came back to them. It was a perfect set- 
 ting for companionship. "But," as Betty de- 
 scribed it afterwards, "he wouldn't say anything 
 but yes or no." Finally they broke a silence that 
 had lasted for fully five minutes. 
 
 "Jemima!" Betty said desperately, "don't you 
 ever talk more than this ? ' ' 
 
 "What!" stammered Dick, taken quite by sur- 
 prise. 
 
 "What d'ye mean?" 
 
 "Don't you ever say anything; do you always 
 just answer questions with yes or no?" 
 
 Betty, once her hand had touched the plow, even 
 the plow of condemnation was not one to turn 
 back. 
 
 "I've talked till I'm hoarse, and I can't get 
 anything out of you. Lordy, you 're awful. ' ' She 
 finished with spirit. 
 
 Dick looked at her, first incredulous, then 
 amazed. To be seventeen, or almost seventeen, 
 and have a freckled faced, snub nosed girl, with 
 her hair down her back, call you names, was too 
 much. He sputtered. Why she was just a child ; 
 the thought was comforting, he clung to it. And 
 rather a peevish child too. Dick, despite his lack 
 of conversational ability, had a sense of humor. 
 He was nearly six feet tall, and heavily built. 
 
110 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Betty was small and slender. Suddenly lie was 
 reminded of an enraged kitten he had seen the 
 day before. He began to laugh, and laughed and 
 laughed and laughed. It was Betty's turn now to 
 be surprised. 
 
 "Well, thank goodness,' ' she said after a min- 
 ute, but she looked a little hurt. When they 
 joined the others, on the big flat rock near the 
 water, they were both laughing, but there was an 
 unspoken understanding of an existing feud be- 
 tween them. 
 
 "Come along, slow pokes/ ' Lois greeted them. 
 "Sit down." 
 
 Betty and Dick dropped down on the rock, com- 
 pleting the circle. 
 
 "We look like a band of Indians, ready for a 
 pow-wow, ' ' Bob said. 
 
 "All we need is a camp fire and some marsh- 
 mallows,' ' Curly added, smacking his lips. 
 
 "We have a rock like this at school," Polly 
 said. "Only it's not near the water. We've had 
 some wonderful picnics there, roasted potatoes 
 and bacon." 
 
 "Oh, don't," Curly beseeched. His voice 
 sounded so heartfelt that they all laughed. 
 
 "Are you still hungry, Mr. Ross?" Polly in- 
 quired. 
 
 "Hungry? Of course he's hungry; Curly 's al- 
 ways hungry," Dick cut in. "It doesn't mean 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 111 
 
 anything. Look at the huge dinner he ate to- 
 night." 
 
 "Oh, let up." Curly was becoming embar- 
 rassed again, and turning to Polly he added: 
 "I wish you wouldn't call me Mr. Eoss; I can't 
 get used to it." 
 
 ' 1 That's what I say, let's cut out the Miss and 
 Mister," Dick said eagerly. 
 
 "All right," Lois and Polly agreed. "It's 
 Dick, Curly and Bob, Polly, Betty and Lois from 
 now on." 
 
 A sigh of satisfaction ran all around the cir- 
 cle, and the silence that followed was long enough 
 to give Dick a chance to wonder why Betty had 
 not agreed with the rest. 
 
 "And now what about plans for to-morrow?" 
 Polly asked. "There's not much to do." 
 
 "Can we swim?" Curly asked. 
 
 "Yes, it's great off this rock, but the water's 
 awfully cold, ' ' Lois told him. 
 
 "Oh, fine, then let's swim." 
 
 "We can't swim all day." Polly spoke to Bob, 
 rather than in answer to Curly. 
 
 "Why not have a picnic," he suggested. 
 
 "Let's," chorused every one. 
 
 "Oh, roast potatoes and bacon," Curly gloated. 
 
 "Yes, do let's have a picnic." 
 
 "Where will we go?" It was Dick who asked. 
 
 "Oh, there's dozens of places," Polly replied, 
 
112 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' ' only we want to be sure and go somewhere where 
 we won't meet a church society.' ' 
 
 "Oh, gee!" Curly showed signs of terror. 
 "Don't let's get into one of those; I went to one 
 once ; it was awful. ' ' 
 
 Everybody laughed at his fears, and then Betty 
 said, yawning: 
 
 "Oh, Jemima, I'm sleepy; let's start back." 
 
 "But not the same way. Isn't there a road 
 along the water that cuts up the hill and lands in 
 your grounds!" Bob appealed to Polly as usual. 
 
 "Yes, it takes longer, but it's rather nice; we 
 pass Captain Cy's cottage. If he's not in bed I'll 
 introduce you to him," Polly told them. 
 
 "Perhaps he'll take you lobstering, it's lots of 
 fun," Lois said, and as they walked along she de- 
 scribed the lobster cars and talked with such ease 
 and apparent knowledge, that Polly and Betty ex- 
 changed glances of surprise and refrained from 
 telling of her first fright. 
 
 The road rambled along under drooping willow 
 trees. It led eventually to Mr. "Wiggins', the boat- 
 maker. Bob and Polly lingered behind the others 
 and as they came in sight of the dock, they saw 
 Uncle Eoddy talking with Mr. Wiggins. His back 
 was towards them; he apparently did not hear 
 their voices. Polly was about to call to him, but 
 Bob said, "Don't." 
 
 "Why not?" she demanded, surprised. 
 
Polly and Bob Conspire 113 
 
 "Just because." 
 
 "Oh, all right," she agreed, "but what do you 
 suppose he's doing down here?" 
 
 "Don't know, I'm sure," Bob answered, but 
 with such complete indifference, that Polly at once 
 decided in her own mind that he knew all about 
 it, but like the wise child she was, she refrained 
 from asking any further questions. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE FOURTH OF JULY 
 
 Bang — bang — bang — sizz — bang ! 
 
 Polly sat up in bed a little frightened. 
 
 ' ' What under the sun!" she said aloud. Then, 
 drowsiness giving way to memory, "The wretches, 
 they might have waited until dawn. ' ' 
 
 Another explosion, and Betty and Lois fell pell- 
 mell into the room. 
 
 "Are you awake, Poll! Lordy, what a racket," 
 Betty exclaimed. 
 
 "Awake? Well, rather; how could I sleep 
 through that ? They must have regular giant fire 
 crackers," Polly replied, rubbing her eyes. 
 
 "Or a cannon," Betty suggested. "It's fun, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 "I think it's horrid," Lois declared, yawning. 
 "It can't be a minute after five o'clock, and I'm 
 so sleepy." She dropped in a limp heap on the 
 end of the bed, buried her head in the comfortable 
 and struggled back to sleep. 
 
 There was a lull in the cannonading and Polly 
 got out of bed, slipped on her wrapper and peeked 
 curiously out of the window. 
 
 114 
 
The Fourth of July 
 
 115 
 
 "I can see them," she whispered to Betty. 
 "Look, they are getting ready to set off a perfect 
 whopper.' ' 
 
 Betty wrapped herself in the curtain and 
 looked out of the other window. 
 
 " Don't, for pity sake, let them see you," she 
 warned. 
 
 From where they stood they could see the boys 
 plainly. Bob was covering a big cracker with 
 stones and the red headed boy was straightening 
 out the long fuse. Curly watched operations from 
 a safe distance. 
 
 Bob's voice came up to them. 
 
 "If this doesn't wake them, nothing will," he 
 said. 
 
 "Are you sure we're under the right win- 
 dows?" Dick asked. 
 
 Bob glanced up and Betty and Polly ducked 
 hurriedly. 
 
 "Bet," Polly whispered, "don't you dare look 
 again. I'll tell you what we'll do. We won't go 
 downstairs until breakfast time and then we'll act 
 as if nothing had happened." 
 
 "But, Poll, they'll never believe we didn't hear 
 — bang! — that." She finished as the last cracker 
 went off. 
 
 i ' Of course not, but they won 't be able to tease 
 us, and if they say anything we'll pretend we 
 didn't hear a thing." 
 
116 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' ' Tell Lois. Jemima! If she isn't really 
 asleep." 
 
 Betty looked admiringly at Lois' slumbering 
 form. 
 
 ' ' Well," Polly responded, "if she is really, we 
 can pretend we were too." 
 
 ' 4 What time is it?" 
 
 Polly consulted her watch. 
 
 "Six thirty; breakfast at eight. Uncle Koddy 
 has a plan on foot that's to be a surprise for to- 
 day and there's to be a party at Dr. Hopper's 
 to-morrow afternoon," she answered. "Stay 
 here and we'll talk till seven thirty." They got 
 into bed without disturbing Lois. 
 
 "I wonder what plan Uncle Eoddy has!" Betty 
 inquired. 
 
 "I can't imagine. Perhaps he's chartered 
 Uncle Cy's boat for fishing," Polly replied. "We 
 saw him come up from the dry docks last night 
 after our walk." There was a pause. "That 
 was a good idea of Lois', to take a walk," Polly 
 said finally. 
 
 "Do you think so!" Betty's tone left no doubt 
 that she did not. 
 
 "Why, yes, don't you? I feel as if I had known 
 Curly and Dick all my life now." 
 
 A disgusted "humph" was all Betty had to say 
 on the subject. 
 
 It was half -past eight before everybody was in 
 
The Fourth of July 
 
 117 
 
 the dining-room, for when did a house party ever 
 get to breakfast on time, in spite of good reso- 
 lutions? The girls were a little heavy eyed but 
 very cheerful, and Lois kept insisting quite truth- 
 fully that she had slept like a top. Polly and 
 Betty were so natural and unconcerned that the 
 boys were nonplussed and exchanged sheepish 
 glances. 
 
 When they were all seated at the table Uncle 
 Eoddy, who sat at the head, made a speech. 
 
 "Everybody," he began, 4 ' to-day you have to 
 do exactly what I tell you. I've planned a pic- 
 nic. Be on the front piazza at nine thirty sharp, 
 and be sure to have some sweaters and warm 
 wraps with you." 
 
 " Where are we going!" Polly asked eagerly. 
 
 "That's my secret, Tiddledewinks," Uncle 
 Eoddy answered, laughing. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell stopped Polly's teasing any 
 further by saying: 
 
 "Eat, children, eat; everything is getting 
 cold." 
 
 "And you know what picnics are," Dr. Far- 
 well added; "a long walk, hard boiled eggs and 
 another long walk. I don't see, Eoddy," he con- 
 tinued in an aggrieved voice, "why you insist on 
 dragging us away from this comfortable house. 
 I'm getting too old for picnics." 
 
 "How about fishing!" laughed Uncle Eoddy. 
 
118 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' ' Oh, fishing; well, that's another story/ ' and 
 the doctor subsided. 
 
 Breakfast over, there was a half hour before 
 time to start. Mrs. Farwell disappeared into the 
 kitchen to consult with Sarah. Uncle Koddy and 
 the doctor were busy with fishing tackle on the 
 porch. Bob watched them for a while and then 
 sauntered over to Polly, who was piling sweaters 
 and rugs on the steps. 
 
 ' i Hello, where are the rest! " he inquired. 
 
 "Lo and Curly are over looking at the haunted 
 house, and Betty and Dick are scrapping some- 
 where,' ' Polly answered, without looking up. 
 
 "What are they scrapping about V 9 
 
 "I don't know; Betty vows he's hopelessly con- 
 ceited." 
 
 "And Dick swears she's the freshest girl he 
 ever met." 
 
 "I don't think he has any right to say that." 
 Polly's loyalty was aroused. 
 
 "As much right as she has to say he's con- 
 ceited," Bob returned indifferently. 
 
 "But he is conceited." 
 
 "Well, Betty's fresh." 
 
 "She is not." 
 
 "Oh, all right." 
 
 There was an injured silence for a minute ; then 
 Bob said: 
 
 "Let's go see the dogs. I like this picnic idea 
 
The Fourth of July 119 
 
 all right, but I hoped we would get a walk with 
 them in sometime to-day.' ' 
 
 "Perhaps we'll be back in time," Polly said, 
 starting down the steps. ' ' If you 're coming, come 
 on," she added over her shoulder. 
 
 They passed Betty and Dick sitting on the top 
 of the stone wall near the barn. They were in- 
 deed having a dreadful time of it. Lois and 
 Curly had been with them until they had decided 
 to walk over to the Kent place. After they had 
 left, Betty determined to be very polite. 
 
 "I'm so glad it's such a nice day," she began. 
 
 "Funny how fond some people are of the 
 weather," the Bed Headed boy answered, with a 
 gleam of mischief in his eyes. 
 
 Betty refused to be angry; she ignored his re- 
 mark by asking another question. 
 
 "Do you know what Mr. Pendleton has planned 
 for to-day ? ' ' This with decided good nature. 
 
 "Do you know how to keep a secret?" Dick 
 asked in turn. 
 
 "Of course I do," Betty said decidedly. 
 
 " Indeed," he replied triumphantly; "well, so 
 do I." 
 
 Betty was thoroughly enraged, and there is no 
 knowing what might have happened had not Polly 
 r and Bob returned from the barn and joined them. 
 
 "You do look cozy here," Polly said, putting an 
 srm around Betty; "it's a shame to disturb you, 
 
120 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 but it's most time to start; come on up to the 
 house; I hear Uncle Eoddy whistling.'' 
 
 For the next five minutes, there was the bustle 
 of starting. Lois and Polly both picked up lunch- 
 eon baskets, and then remembering there were 
 boys present, dropped them. 
 
 "Boys are useful some times,' ' Lois laughed. 
 "We always did our own lugging at school," she 
 explained to Curly. 
 
 Uncle Eoddy led the way down the hill to the 
 water and around toward Uncle Cy's dock. 
 
 "I knew it," Polly said gleefully; "we're going 
 out in Uncle Cy's boat." 
 
 "No, we're not," Bob laughed; "we're going 
 straight past his cottage." 
 
 Such was the case. Uncle Koddy, with Mrs. 
 Farwell, never so much as looked at Uncle Cy's, 
 but kept on to the ship builders ', turned the corner 
 of the boat house and suddenly came in full view 
 of a beautiful sail boat riding at anchor up the 
 ereek. 
 
 It was about forty feet long, with a cabin and 
 an awning covered deck, filled with comfortable 
 chairs. 
 
 There was a shout of delight as the others saw 
 it and Polly exclaimed : 
 
 "Uncle Eoddy, you darling! Lo, it's the boat 
 I told you about. It used to be in dry dock — 
 how did you ever get it out so soon?" 
 
The Fourth of July 
 
 121 
 
 "Sent for it, dear," answered Uncle Koddy. 
 
 Bob was already on board and had finished a 
 tour of inspection. 
 
 "Gee, but it's a corker,' ' he cried, jumping back 
 to the wharf again. 
 
 "What's the name of it?" inquired Curly. 
 
 All eyes were directed towards the bow of the 
 boat, and there, in brave gilt letters was, The 
 Tiddledewinks. It was a minute before Dick 
 or Curly understood that this was Uncle Roddy's 
 nick-name for Polly. It was not long before they 
 were all aboard and Uncle Roddy, with Polly at 
 the wheel, had her started. 
 
 "Where to?" Polly called over her shoulder. 
 The brisk wind blew her hair straight back from 
 her head and made sails of her sailor tie. She 
 was excited and proud, but above all, grateful to 
 Uncle Roddy for this new surprise. Bob looked 
 at her admiringly and whistled. 
 
 "Dr. Farwell wants some fishing, so let's head 
 for Flat Rock," Uncle Roddy answered. 
 
 Before Mrs. Farwell, with the aid of Betty and 
 Lois, had stowed away the luncheon baskets in the 
 cabin, Uncle Roddy was casting anchor about 
 twenty feet from a big flat rock that was covered 
 with sea gulls. 
 
 "All lines overboard," directed the doctor, now 
 in his element. "And a prize to the one who 
 catches the first fish." 
 
122 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 There were not enough lines to go round, so 
 Polly and Bob shared one. They went way up in 
 the bow. 
 
 Lois and Curly followed suit, but Betty de- 
 clared she would share her line with no one on 
 earth and promptly took her place half way be- 
 tween bow and stern on the narrowest strip of 
 deck. 
 
 They waited for half an hour, hardly saying a 
 word for fear of scaring the apparently timid 
 fish. The day was cloudless and the water 
 sparkled and rippled monotonously in the sun- 
 shine. The trim white boat was the picture of 
 contentment and placidity and the company were 
 not at all prepared for the sudden shriek that 
 came from Betty. It completely upset the peace 
 of the scene. 
 
 "Lordy! I've got one," she called excitedly; 
 "oh, help, it's a whale." She jumped up and be- 
 gan tugging at the line, while something pulled 
 violently on the other end. 
 
 "Look out! Betty," Uncle Koddy warned, but 
 just then "the something" gave an extra jerk and 
 over went Betty, all arms and legs, splash into 
 the water. It seemed to her that she stayed un- 
 der for an age, though she could think quite 
 clearly. Finally she bubbled up and tried to 
 strike out but the heavy wet sailor suit weighed 
 a ton, and she seemed to have forgotten how to 
 
The Fourth of July 123 
 
 swim. There was a second of wonder as she 
 heard another splash and then the relief of feel- 
 ing an arm on her shoulder. 
 
 * ' Don't struggle/' a voice commanded. 
 " You 're all right." 
 
 She was dragged through the water and a dozen 
 hands helped to pull her back on the boat. 
 Things were black for a minute, and then to every 
 one's amusement she demanded: 
 
 "Did I lose him?" 
 
 "You certainly are a sport, Betty," laughed 
 the doctor, rubbing her hands. "Better roll up in 
 something warm while your clothes dry. ' ' 
 
 "Come into the cabin, dear," Mrs. Farwell 
 added. "Are you sure you're not cold?" 
 
 "Oh, Bet, how you scared me," Lois laughed 
 nervously. 
 
 Polly the practical had found a big steamer 
 rug. 
 
 "Here you are, it won't take long for your 
 things to dry in this breeze. You look sort of blue 
 around your mouth. ' ' 
 
 Betty didn't answer; she was just thinking that 
 the head that bobbed up beside her had been red. 
 Finally she murmured : 
 
 "Oh, Lordy," and closed her eyes. 
 
 Fortunately for Dick, the boys had brought 
 their bathing suits in hopes of a swim, and from 
 his wet clothes he changed to a bathing suit and 
 
124 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 went over the side again. Curly and Bob were not 
 long in following snit. 
 
 "That settles the fishing," growled Doctor Far- 
 well, and he and Uncle Eoddy dejectedly pulled in 
 the lines. 
 
 Luncheon was spread on the deck table when 
 Betty's clothes were dry. Every one was seated 
 before she came up out of the cabin. 
 
 "Come on, Bet, we're waiting for you," Polly 
 called to her; "here's your place." 
 
 "How are you, none the worse for your ducking, 
 eh?" asked the doctor. 
 
 "Oh, I'm all right, thanks," Betty began, "and 
 as hungry as a bear. I wish I hadn't given you 
 all such a fright." Then, turning to Dick, "I'm 
 sorry you had to get all wet on my account," she 
 said. 
 
 "Oh, don't mention it, I rather enjoyed it, but 
 I tell you, Betty, this falling in habit of yours 
 ought to stop. I can't always be around to pull 
 you out." 
 
 Betty ground her teeth with rage, while the 
 others laughed heartily, and Lois explained to her 
 father about the ducking at school. 
 
 "I'll fall in the water when and where I like," 
 Betty said, after the laughter had subsided. 
 
 "Oh, very well, but you better be sure I'm look- 
 ing. I almost didn't see you this time ; the splash 
 you made was all that saved you." 
 
The Fourth of July 
 
 125 
 
 Betty had discovered that the best way to stop 
 Dick's teasing was not to pay any attention to it. 
 
 "What do yon suppose was on the other end of 
 my line, Uncle Roddy?" she asked, for all the 
 world as if Dick were a thousand miles away. 
 
 "Oh, a shark at least," Uncle Eoddy laughed. 
 
 "Oh, it doesn't take a shark to pull Betty over," 
 Dick said mischievously. "She just looks at the 
 water and in she goes." 
 
 "I do not," Betty denied hotly. 
 
 "Of course you don't, Bet," Bob said good 
 naturedly, "and if Dick's cross at getting the 
 beautiful creases in his trousers spoiled, it's his 
 own fault ; here were Curly and I dying to jump 
 in and save you and he never even gave us a 
 chance. ' ' 
 
 "In fact," said Curly very gently, "he told me 
 he 'd drown any one else that tried saving that kid 
 when he was around." 
 
 Dick suffered the keenest embarrassment dur- 
 ing the laughter that followed, and kept far away 
 from Betty for the rest of the afternoon. 
 
 After luncheon, Doctor Farwell insisted on 
 some real fishing, and Mrs. Farwell on some plain 
 sailing. They did both. The string of fish they 
 caught was enough for supper for all the hungry 
 party, but nothing happened that could compare 
 with Betty's first bite. 
 
 They were a tired but merry party when they 
 
126 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 returned. Before they went to bed, Betty sur- 
 prised Dick in one of the bay windows of the liv- 
 ing room ; it was the same one in which Lois had 
 taken refuge the day of Miss Hemingway's call. 
 
 "Say," she began inelegantly. "I didn't half 
 thank you for pulling me out to-day. I guess I'm 
 not awfully keen on being teased." 
 
 "Oh, that's all right," Dick answered, "and I 
 guess I'm a little too keen about teasing." 
 
 "Well," said Betty. 
 
 "Er— let's call it off, the feud, I mean," Dick 
 said. 
 
 "Agreed," Betty laughed, but she added as she 
 disappeared around the corner of the door: 
 "That is, if you think we can." 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 MORE HOUSE PARTY 
 
 After the picnic Polly and Bob had had their 
 walk with the dogs, and discussed the plans for 
 the next day. 
 
 "There's always the pony cart," Bob had said 
 in reply to Polly's question. "What's to be 
 doner' 
 
 "But that's too small for six people," Polly had 
 objected. 
 
 "Wait a second." Bob had been struck with a 
 sudden idea. "Can Lois drive Banker?" 
 
 "As well as I can," Polly had assured him. 
 
 "Then let's let them go in the pony cart and 
 we'll go lobstering with that Uncle Cy, you've been 
 talking so much about." 
 
 Polly groaned at the thought of getting up an- 
 other morning at daybreak, but she said : 
 
 "All right." 
 
 Six o'clock found them on the wharf waiting for 
 Uncle Cy. 
 
 "Gee, I'm sleepy," yawned Bob; "you were a 
 sport to come, Poll. 
 
 "H'm, I'll always go lobstering at any time 
 
 127 
 
128 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 of day," answered Polly. "I wish we'd taken 
 more breakfast though, it's going to be awfully 
 rough." 
 
 "What's the idea of going so early?" 
 6 ' Tide of course ; here 's Uncle Cy. Good morn- 
 ing." 
 
 "Waal, now, Miss Polly," Uncle Cy's ruddy 
 face was expanded in a huge smile. "This is like 
 old times. I thought city ways would make you 
 forget gettin' up in time for the lobsters." 
 
 "Not much," Polly scoffed at the idea. "This 
 is Bob Farwell, Lois' brother," she explained, in- 
 troducing Bob. 
 
 "Eight glad to meet ye." Uncle Cy shook 
 hands genially. "And now, if you're ready, I 
 guess it's about time to start." 
 
 Polly took her place by the wheel as usual. 
 
 "Is there much of a channel?" inquired Bob. 
 
 "Well, it's rather narrow and tricky," Polly 
 told him. "I don't know why more boats don't 
 go on the rocks." 
 
 "How does it happen that you know it so well? " 
 
 "Oh, I was brought up to it, I never remember 
 the time I didn't know how to steer Uncle Cy's 
 boat. Every time I got cross and grouchy" — 
 "and that was tolerable often," Uncle Cy put in — 
 "I used to sneak off down here and go lobstering. 
 Oh, look out." They had left the Cove and were 
 out in the bay. A big wave broke over the bow. 
 
More House Party 12S 
 
 "I told you it would be rough.' ' 
 
 "Are you a pretty good sailor, young fellow ?" 
 Uncle Cy shot an inquiring glance at Bob from 
 under his shaggy brows. City boys he had little 
 enough use for on land and none at all on sea. 
 
 "Oh, fair," Bob replied modestly, "but I'm not 
 bragging any. When do we get to the pots?" 
 
 "Over thar's the first one ; do you reckon ye can 
 help f ' ' Uncle Cy picked up the big hook and of- 
 fered it to Bob. 
 
 He looked at it doubtfully. 
 
 "Oh, that's not fair," Polly said, "you hook the 
 first one and show him how ; he '11 never be able to 
 do it himself." 
 
 Her tone was the least bit patronizing, and it 
 seemed to Bob that she and Uncle Cy expected a 
 good laugh at his expense. This was not the case 
 at all. Polly knew Uncle Cy wanted a chance to 
 show up a city boy's ignorance, and she didn't 
 want him to have that chance. 
 
 Bob made a sudden resolve. " Let's have the 
 hook," he said; "what do I do, catch that rope on 
 that buoy?" 
 
 "Wall, yes," Uncle Cy drawled "if ye can." 
 He put the engine into second speed and Polly, 
 agog with excitement, steered the boat just as near 
 the buoy as possible and watched. 
 
 This meant Uncle Cy's good or bad opinion of 
 Bob, and she was very anxious for it to be good. 
 
130 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Bob thrust the hook in the water, drew it gently 
 under the buoy and caught the rope as easily as if 
 he had been lobster fishing all his life. Uncle Cy 
 helped him haul up the pot and together they took 
 out the lobsters, rebaited and dropped it back be- 
 fore a word was spoken. Then Uncle Cy cleared 
 his throat: 
 
 "Not so bad for a first try," he said, non-com- 
 mittally. ' ' Let her go, Polly. ' ' 
 
 They pulled sixty pots, Bob hooking them all 
 without missing one, and reached home just a few 
 minutes before one. 
 
 "That was corking, thanks," said Bob, stretch- 
 ing his cramped muscles ; and Polly echoed : 
 
 "You bet it was, I never had such fun lobstering 
 before, and we got a pretty good haul ; twenty is 
 not so bad." 
 
 ' i Waal, I 'm glad you liked it. I 'm much obliged 
 for your help," Uncle Cy answered, looking out 
 over the water. "Don't want to be hurrying you, 
 but you'd better get along home afore the storm. 
 There's one coming." 
 
 "Oh, Bobby," Polly exclaimed joyfully when 
 they were out of earshot. "I could have shouted 
 with glee when you caught that buoy. You're a 
 wonder. Uncle Cy was sure you couldn't ; he even 
 winked at me when you said you 'd try. ' ' 
 
 "H'm," grunted Bob, remembering his feelings 
 
More House Party 131 
 
 had been hurt. "And I'll bet yon winked back." 
 
 1 6 I did not, ' ' Polly denied emphatically. i 6 How 
 mean of you to say so." 
 
 ' 1 Did you think I could do it?" 
 
 "Of course I did, even though it's awfully hard 
 until you get the knack." 
 
 This was a plain fib ; Polly hadn 't thought any 
 such thing. Bob was slightly mollified. 
 
 "You certainly did steer that boat around to 
 the queen's taste," he said, at last; "I'd never 
 have caught them but for that." 
 
 This was better, and Polly thought it wise to 
 keep away from the subject. 
 
 "Here comes the rain," she said. "We'll have 
 to make a sprint for home. I'll race you to the 
 carriage block. ' ' 
 
 They were off. Polly kept up with Bob the first 
 few feet, but was soon left panting behind. 
 
 "You can run," she said, as he waited for her, 
 "I won't race you again. 
 
 Bob was still for a minute, then he blurted out : 
 "Poll, if you promise not to tell, I'll tell you a 
 secret. ' ' 
 
 1 i Go ahead, ' ' Polly answered. 
 
 "I'm going to try for the track at college next 
 year; I won my quarter at school, you know." 
 
 "Yes, Lo told me. Oh, Bob, that would be 
 great." 
 
132 Polly's Summer ^Vacation 
 
 "Of course I may not have a chance, running 
 in a small school and in college are two different 
 things. Still I made pretty good time." 
 
 They had reached the porch by now and Bob 
 lowered his voice. The others were all there, ap- 
 parently waiting for them. 
 
 "Hello, you two," sang out Lois, "we thought 
 you were shipwrecked. ' ' 
 
 "You just escaped the rain," Curly said. And 
 Betty and Dick exchanged glances and burst out 
 laughing. 
 
 "Well, here you are at last" — Mrs Farwell 
 stood in the doorway; "did you have a good 
 time?" 
 
 "Splendid," chorused Bob and Polly. 
 
 "You must be hungry, and luncheon is ready." 
 
 When they were seated at the table and the first 
 pangs of hunger satisfied, Polly asked: 
 
 "Where have you all been this morning'?" 
 
 "Out for a ride in the pony cart," Betty told 
 her. 
 
 "Have a good time?" 
 
 "Yes, awfully. We went to the village first, 
 then we drove for miles straight into the country. " 
 
 "Through a covered bridge that said: ' Cross 
 this at your own risk.' " 
 
 They were all talking at once. 
 
 "On our way back, Miss Hemingway caught 
 us," sighed Lois. 
 
More House Party 
 
 133 
 
 " And filled us full of the most wonderful ginger- 
 bread.' ' This, with an expressive smack of the 
 Hps, from Curly. 
 
 "I do hope the rain won't spoil the garden 
 party," Mrs. Farwell said, "it would be a shame, 
 they wanted to have some tennis, Mrs. Hopper told 
 me." 
 
 "It's only a thunder shower, and won't last 
 long," Uncle Eoddy assured them. 
 
 "What time does the thing begin?" asked the 
 doctor. " Do I have to go ? " 
 
 "You do." Mrs. Farwell was decided on that 
 point. "It begins at four o'clock." 
 
 They spent the time between luncheon and time 
 to dress, in the hay loft, telling stories, and as Lois 
 described it, "having a very undignified, but thor- 
 oughly good rough house." 
 
 Mrs. Hopper received them on the lawn of the 
 rectory. There were dozens of people there and 
 the Pendleton party made quite a stir. The girls, 
 who were spending the summer on the green, and 
 who, Miss Hemingway had described as "silly 
 things," were there, and were soon introduced. 
 They were two girls about eighteen and nineteen, 
 both pretty in a doll baby way. Their names were 
 Euth J enkins and Anita Saunders. 
 
 It was not long before a set of doubles in tennis 
 was arranged. Euth chose Dick for a partner, 
 and Violet Hopper played with a Frank Sumner, 
 
134 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 who had always lived in the village. He was talk- 
 ing to Polly when the game was called. 
 
 "See you later,' ' he said, as he picked up his 
 racket. ' i Wish me luck. ' ' 
 
 Dick and Euth had the worst of it from the start. 
 Violet was a really good player — and as Betty 
 afterwards said: "She didn't bother to pose all 
 over the court. And she had played a great deal 
 with Frank." 
 
 When the set ended, Bob and Anita were chosen 
 to play the victors. Those watching, who had 
 been surprised that as poor a player as Euth 
 would attempt to play, were flabbergasted when 
 Anita began. 
 
 "Oh, but Bob's happy," Lois laughed; "he 
 plays a wonderful game, and how he hates 
 doubles." 
 
 They watched in silence, while Violet and Frank 
 won three straight games. They would have won 
 the rest as easily, had not Anita decided she was 
 getting too tired to play any more. 
 
 Bob heaved a sigh of relief as she sank grace- 
 fully on the bench beside her cousin. 
 
 "Who will fill Miss Anita's place?" asked the 
 rector, a dear old gentleman whom every one loved. 
 
 "Polly, you play. Come on," Violet called out. 
 
 "Yes, Poll, of course," Frank agreed. 
 
 "Oh, let one of the older girls," Polly answered, 
 not moving. 
 
More House Party 135 
 
 Bob came over to her side and took her arm. 
 "Up you get, no flunking,' ' he warned. 
 
 The game began again, this time in real earnest. 
 Polly was a good player, and as Lois had said, 
 Bob was a wonder. They beat Violet and Frank 
 the set, and played another, just for the fun of it. 
 Then Betty and Dick challenged Lois and Curly, 
 and beat them unmercifully. Polly went over and 
 talked to the other girls until time to go home. 
 
 On the way up the hill they laughed over the 
 game. 
 
 "She flunked. I hate a girl that flunks/ ' Dick 
 said. "Why did she start if she couldn't go 
 through with itV 
 
 4 i She looked pretty, though, with a racket poised 
 in one hand," said Betty, wickedly. 
 
 "I thought old Bob would tell her to at least 
 keep out of his way, ' ' chuckled Curly. 
 
 ' 1 Oh, ' ' groaned Lois, ' ' there 's more truth in that 
 than you think. I've seen Bob awfully rude to 
 girls like that. ' ' 
 
 "What were you talking to them about, Poll?" 
 demanded Betty, "French heel slippers?" 
 
 "H'm, well not exactly," said Polly seriously. 
 "Say, girls, did either of you ever hear of The 
 Whitehead School, a select seminary for young 
 ladies!" 
 
 Betty and Lois laughed, "Well, rather," they 
 answered. 
 
136 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 " What's the joke?" Dick demanded. 
 
 "Nothing, only that's the school we licked so in 
 basket ball," Betty explained grandly. "Go on, 
 Poll, what's next?" 
 
 "Anita and Kuth are both seniors there next 
 year." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "Oh," Polly continued, dropping her mysteri- 
 ous tone ; " I had such a lark. I got them raving 
 about Whitehead, and then I said quite casually, 
 ' Whitehead, why it seems to me we beat you in 
 basket ball last year.' Of course they wanted to 
 know what school we went to, and insisted they'd 
 never heard of Whitehead being beaten." 
 
 "Oh, Polly, what did you say?" demanded Lois. 
 
 "I said Seddon Hall did. I could have added 
 something about tennis too, but I didn't." 
 
 "You bet Seddon Hall did," Betty gloated, 
 "and it will next year, too." 
 
 "Of course Seddon Hall can beat anything," 
 laughed Bob. "Three cheers for Seddon Hall!" 
 And the boys gave them — hearty ones, much to 
 the surprise of Dr. and Mrs. Farwell and Uncle 
 Koddy, in the carriage ahead. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE INVITATION 
 
 Let's go for the mail." Polly made the sug- 
 gestion from the depths of the Gloucester ham- 
 mock, in a tone that implied anything would be 
 preferable to her present condition. 
 
 A week had passed since the house party. The 
 boys had left one day, to be followed two days 
 later by Betty. She had been summoned home to 
 attend the wedding of a distant cousin, much to 
 her disgust. Polly and Lois, thrown once more 
 on their own resources were rather lonesome. 
 
 Lois took time to consider the suggestion, then 
 she agreed. 
 
 "All right, let's do; you know I feel as though 
 the bottom had sort of fallen out of things," she 
 said. 
 
 "I know, it's the fish out of water feeling," 
 Polly nodded. "TVe did have a good time though, 
 didn 't we ? " 
 
 "I should say so; I wish it could have kept up 
 all summer, but I suppose that's expecting too 
 much. ' ' 
 
 Polly got up lazily, "Well, don't let's grouch 
 about it," she admonished; ' ' come on." 
 
 137 
 
138 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 They harnessed Banker themselves — Tim was 
 out somewhere in the fields — and started for the 
 post office. As they passed the haunted house 
 they saw Maud standing listlessly on the walk. 
 
 ' ' Hold on," Lois said, " let's ask the mysterious 
 child to go with us. ' ' 
 
 "Good idea," Polly agreed, "she does look kind 
 of forlorn." 
 
 She turned Banker around and started up the 
 weed choked driveway. 
 
 "Oh, Maud, want to drive to the village with 
 us?" Lois called out, and Polly seconded the in- 
 vitation. 
 
 Maud looked up at the sound of voices, and 
 without a word ran straight for the house like a 
 terrified deer. 
 
 "What under the sun!" asked Lois in surprise. 
 
 "Perhaps she didn't hear us," Polly suggested. 
 "Let's go into the house. We're here, and we 
 may as well. ' ' 
 
 Mrs. Banks answered their knock — there were 
 no bells in the mysterious house — and even to the 
 girls, it was apparent that she was deeply worried 
 about something. 
 
 "We called to see if Maud would like to drive to 
 the village with us. We're going for the mail," 
 Polly said in her prettiest manner. It was not in 
 vain that Aunt Hannah had drilled her in the nice- 
 ties of a well bred girl. 
 
The Invitation 
 
 139 
 
 "We thought we might get cooled off that way, 
 it's so awfully hot," Lois added. 
 
 "That's very sweet of you," Mrs. Banks an- 
 swered, smiling. "Maud has just come in. 
 Maud, dear," she called. 
 
 As they listened for an answer, the faint sound 
 of crying came to them from the back room. 
 
 "Just a minute and I'll go and find her," Mrs. 
 Banks said hastily, as if to divert their attention 
 from the sound. "Won't you sit down, I'll be 
 right back. ' ' She left them and disappeared into 
 the next room. 
 
 "Maud, dear, the girls want you to drive to the 
 village with them," they heard her say coaxingly, 
 as though she were talking to a very small child. 
 Maud's voice was low and frightened as she an- 
 swered : 
 
 "I don't want to go, I don't want to go." 
 
 "Oh, please, dear, it would be so good for you, I 
 know you'd love riding in a pony cart." Mrs. 
 Banks' voice went on, "You must go," she said 
 firmly, but very gently. 
 
 Maud seemed to take this as almost a command. 
 The girls heard louder sobs. 
 
 "Oh, please, Mother, don't make me go, I don't 
 want to, I don't want to." 
 
 "Jemima," whispered Polly, borrowing Betty's 
 exclamation. "What is the matter with 
 her?" 
 
140 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Hush," cautioned Lois, her fingers on her lips. 
 
 Mrs. Banks came into the room. 
 
 "I'm sorry, girls, Maud is not feeling well 
 enough to go. She is very nervous, you know," 
 she said. "I'm sure she's grateful to you for 
 having asked her." The hurt look had deepened 
 in her eyes as she spoke; "And I know I am." 
 
 6 < Oh, that >s all right, ' ' Polly replied. 6 < Can we 
 get anything for you in the village?" 
 
 "No, thank you, dear," Mrs. Banks' voice fal- 
 tered. "I'm sorry about Maud." 
 
 All the way down to the post office the girls dis- 
 cussed this queer turn of events. 
 
 "Poll, there must be something awfully wrong 
 with her; what do you suppose it is?" 
 
 "I don't know. She sounded as though she 
 were afraid she was going to be half killed, and 
 yet look how adorable Mrs. Banks was to her." 
 
 "What did she say about her being ill?" 
 
 "Not ill, nervous, but that wouldn't make her 
 so terrified of a ride to the village." 
 
 "It might. Dad had a patient like that once; 
 she was afraid of her own shadow." 
 
 "Did she get over it?" 
 
 "Yes, they operated,, or something queer." 
 
 Dr. Farwell would have shuddered had he heard 
 his daughter. He always said Lois was a disgrace 
 to a medical father. 
 
 "Was she all right?" 
 
The Invitation 
 
 141 
 
 "Yes, after that. Seems to me, something was 
 pressing on something else in her head. Mother 
 will remember about it." 
 
 "Well, it's certainly queer. Poor kid, it must 
 be awful to be like that." Polly's healthy young 
 mind recoiled at the idea. "Mrs. Banks seemed 
 to want her to go with us ; perhaps we can make 
 friends gradually with her, she certainly talked 
 to Aunt Kate." 
 
 "We ought to try, anyway. It's dreadful," 
 Lois said decidedly, as they drove up before the 
 post office. 
 
 The mail was well worth going for. 
 
 "Six letters," Polly cried triumphantly, as she 
 got back into the cart. "Two for Aunt Kate, a 
 card for you — " 
 
 " It 's from Curly, ' 9 laughed Lois. 
 
 "And I have one from Bob, and here's a 
 letter for you and one for me, and they're from 
 Louise." 
 
 "Let's open them, quick." 
 
 They both read them through hurriedly, and 
 Polly said : 
 
 "Lo, is yours an invitation!" 
 
 "Yes, to come up to camp for a week." 
 
 "So is mine, I knew she wouldn't forget. I 
 hope Aunt Kate will let us go." 
 
 1 i Of course she will. ' ' Lois ' tones were positive 
 from long acquaintance with her mother. 
 
142 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "She says, come the eighteenth; that's next 
 week. ' ' 
 
 "I wonder who else will be there.' ' 
 "Her cousin Frances, she speaks of her in my 
 letter." 
 
 "She does in — oh, shucks, here come Euth and 
 Anita and Violet.' ' 
 
 "Hello," they both greeted, as a minute later 
 the three girls stopped beside them. "Isn't it 
 hot?" 
 
 i ' I should say so, but you shouldn 't kick, it 's al- 
 ways cooler on the hill than it is down here," and 
 Violet pointed to the green. 
 
 "Too hot even for tennis," Lois remarked inno- 
 cently. She had not beaten any one and felt she 
 had a right to bring up the subject. 
 
 "Oh, quite," said Euth airily; "and that re- 
 minds me, I had a letter from one of the girls on 
 our team and she said to ask you if you were the 
 three girls who jumped in and saved that Field 
 Day game?" 
 
 Lois and Polly exchanged surprised glances. 
 
 "We were on the sub-team, and they did use us 
 that day and Seddon Hall did win the game, but 
 we didn't do it all," Lois answered. 
 
 Euth looked her admiration ; she was a little sur- 
 prised and confused. Here were two girls, who, 
 according to her friend, had saved the day by 
 wonderful playing and they disclaimed all credit. 
 
The Invitation 
 
 143 
 
 She knew that if she had made even a sub-team she 
 would have had to brag about it. 
 
 i 'Come on over and have something cool to 
 drink," she said impulsively. 
 
 The unexpected invitation caused Anita to lift 
 her eyebrows in surprise, but she echoed it faintly, 
 though artistically. She disliked girls in short 
 skirts who could play tennis with boys in white 
 flannels better than she could. 
 
 When they were on the porch, conversation 
 flagged. There is a big gulf between fourteen and 
 eighteen, and there was no topic of mutual inter- 
 est. Besides, the girls were anxious to get home 
 and plan for the coming visit. 
 
 They all drank their lemonade in silence and 
 then Violet said : 
 
 " All that raft of boys at your house gone back? " 
 
 "Yes," Polly answered, "they went right after 
 the Fourth." * 
 
 "Bob's coming back in a week, though," Lois 
 said; "and he'll stay most of the summer." 
 
 "Which one was Bob?" Anita asked. 
 
 "The one you started to play tennis with." 
 
 ' * Oh, yes, funny thing I could not get along with 
 him. One can't with some people, you know." 
 
 She looked at Polly and seemed to expect an 
 answer. 
 
 She got an abrupt one. 
 
 "No, I don't know," Polly told her decidedly. 
 
144 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Anita was a little surprised, but tried again. 
 "I mean he didn't seem to know what balls I 
 wanted him to return." 
 
 " No ? ' ' The inflection of Polly 's voice was dan- 
 gerously sweet. "That was stupid of him, be- 
 cause you seemed to expect him to return them 
 all. Anybody that can't beat in tennis with Bob 
 Farwell for a partner needn't expect to with any 
 one else. He's the finest player I ever saw." 
 The rush of words ended. 
 
 There was a horrible silence. Polly, her cheeks 
 flushed, her eyes snapping, subsided into her chair. 
 
 "It is hot down here," Lois said desperately, 
 after an endless minute. "I suppose the hill cuts 
 off the breeze. Hadn't we better start for home, 
 Poll? We've got to go round by Uncle Cy's and 
 get the lobsters for luncheon." 
 
 There were no lobsters to be gotten; but any- 
 thing to get away. 
 
 Polly was the least embarrassed of them all. 
 
 "Perhaps we'd better," she said evenly. 
 
 The good-bys were said quite as if nothing had 
 happened, and Lois asked the girls to come up and 
 have tea with them some afternoon. As they 
 drove off they distinctly heard Anita say : 
 
 "Of all the spitfires!" 
 
 Lois laughed. 
 
 "Polly Pendleton, I never saw you so furious," 
 she said. 
 
The Invitation 
 
 145 
 
 "I know it, but I couldn't help it. I can't stand 
 that girl,- she makes me wild." 
 
 i i Well, you needn't have taken her head off. 
 It was awfully rude, in her own house, too." 
 
 ' ' Humph, I couldn't help that, why did she 
 say it in her own house!" Polly flared back, in 
 defense. 
 
 "Say what?" 
 
 "Why, about Bob, she knows she couldn't hit a 
 ball to save her life. She was just crawling and 
 trying to blame him. ' ' 
 
 Lois ' jaw dropped in sudden wonder. So it was 
 Bob. Aloud she said: 
 
 "Cool down, Poll. How do you manage to get 
 as mad as that? I never could, it takes so much 
 trouble to hate people." 
 
 "I hate people the way I like them, good and 
 hard," Polly answered emphatically. "I suppose 
 that's it. Let's forget it. She made me forget 
 Louise's invitation, drat her." 
 
 The thought of it made her hurry Banker along, 
 and they reached home in a short time. 
 
 "Of course you may go," Mrs. Farwell said 
 when she had read Louise's invitation. "Only 
 you must be careful. Those Adirondack lakes are 
 very dangerous, and there are so many people 
 hunting. ' ' 
 
 "Cheer up, Mumsie darling, no one is going to 
 take Poll or me for a deer." 
 
146 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "I'd like to know why not?" Polly inquired in 
 a mock huff; "I can be a dear at times." 
 
 "And a spitfire at others," Lois added. 
 
 "Why, Lois!" Mrs. Farwell was amazed. 
 
 Lois hastened to explain. She described the 
 encounter between Polly and Anita in highly ex- 
 travagant terms. 
 
 "There, wasn't that delicious?" she demanded. 
 Mrs. Farwell shook her head and tried to look 
 shocked, but gave it up. 
 
 "Polly, Polly, Polly," she said, laughing, "you 
 should have had red hair like Dick's. And all for 
 Bobbie!" 
 
 "It was not," Polly denied stoutly. "I'd have 
 been just as mad if it had been Lo or Betty." 
 
 "Of course you would, dear. I was only teas- 
 ing." 
 
 Polly, glad to change the subject, recounted the 
 strange behavior of little Maud. 
 
 "She was just plum scared to death," she fin- 
 ished. "What do you suppose was the matter 
 with her?" 
 
 "How strange, poor little thing; I can't 
 imagine," Mrs. Farwell looked perplexed. "Per- 
 haps Mrs. Banks will tell me some day," she 
 added, remembering the appeal for sympathy in 
 the other woman's eyes. 
 
 "It's weird, I don't like it," Lois wrinkled up 
 
The Invitation 
 
 147 
 
 her nose ; " there's some mystery there. I always 
 did hate to pass that house, now I shall die of 
 fear." 
 
 " Mystery!" queried Polly. 
 
 "Yes, of course, Maud must have seen the ghost 
 of the old miser, or those English soldiers. That 's 
 why she's so scared." 
 
 "Lois, don't be absurd," Mrs. Farwell said 
 sharply. "That isn't kind. Hadn't you better 
 answer your letters?" 
 
 "We had," Polly agreed, getting up. "I'll 
 write Betty, too. I owe her a long letter." 
 
 "And I'll write Bob," Lois said, but she whis- 
 pered it in her mother's ear, and they both laughed. 
 
CHAPTEE XI 
 
 THE VISIT 
 
 "Be sure and telegraph me when you meet Bob, 
 and as soon as you get to camp.'' Mrs. Farwell 
 called these parting instructions just as the train 
 pulled out of the station, with Polly and Lois as 
 passengers. 
 
 "We will," they called back, and waved until 
 the train was out of sight. 
 
 "Well, we're off at last, Poll; I know I've for- 
 gotten something," Lois said. 
 
 "So do I, but then you always feel that way 
 when you start any place." Polly was busy, ar- 
 ranging the suitcases and bags. 
 
 It was a hot day and the dust and cinders flew 
 in the window and covered their silk pongee travel- 
 ing dresses. 
 
 "We'll be sights when we get to town. I know 
 my face is black already." Lois complained. 
 
 "Oh, leave it alone, you'll only rub it in," Polly 
 warned, as she made a dab at her nose with her 
 handkerchief. "We can take some of it off just 
 before wet get into the station." 
 
 "We'd better, or Bob will refuse to know us." 
 
 148 
 
The Visit 
 
 149 
 
 They settled back as comfortably as possible in 
 the lumpy seats and looked disconsolately out of 
 the window. It w T as two long, dusty hours before 
 they reached the Grand Central Station. Bob was 
 there to meet them. He was a little thinner and 
 some of his brown was gone. He had Uncle 
 Eoddy 's car and hurried the girls into it, and away 
 to a hotel. 
 
 "Oh, lordy," Lois exclaimed, as she caught sight 
 of herself in the little mirror between the win- 
 dows. "We are sights. ."We'll have to wash up 
 before luncheon.' ' 
 
 "Have you finished all your exams, Bob?" 
 Polly asked. She knew he had, and knew that 
 probably he had heard the results too. She was 
 afraid to ask. It would be terrible if he had to say 
 "I flunked." 
 
 "Yes. Latin was the last one and I took it last 
 week." His voice sounded dejected. 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Oh, Bob," Lois caught some of the suspense 
 in Polly's "well." "You haven't flunked have 
 you, dear?" 
 * ' I don 't know yet. I '11 hear any day now. ' ' 
 "Thank goodness. You scared me to death. 
 I thought sure you knew the worst. What 
 are you looking so glum about then?" she de- 
 manded. 
 
 "He doesn't look glum, he looks tired. So 
 
150 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 would you, if you were taking entrance exams/ ' 
 Polly defended him. 
 
 ' ' Tired is no reason for being grouchy,' ' Lois 
 replied airily. 
 
 ' ' Huh ! Do you remember exam week at school, 
 and the rage you were in?" 
 
 Bob began to laugh. 
 
 "Go to it, I'm betting on Poll, and when you get 
 through, I'll tell you why I'm grouchy." 
 "Tell us now." 
 
 "Are you sure you're through? I wouldn't 
 stop the fight for a farm." 
 
 "Yes, we are, tell us." Lois accompanied her 
 command with a playful push. 
 
 Bob had enjoyed the argument, but now that the 
 cause of it recurred to him his face assumed its 
 crestfallen expression. 
 
 "You remember Burr Gerard, don't you, Lo?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "Yes, of course." 
 
 "He was my roommate at school," Bob ex- 
 plained to Polly. "He lives out in St. Paul. We 
 were both going up to college together ; we 'd even 
 engaged our rooms." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "I had a letter from him this morning saying 
 he 'd changed his plans. ' ' 
 
 "Oh, Bobbie, what a shame! What made him 
 do that?" Lois inquired. 
 
The Visit 
 
 151 
 
 "Oh, he's got a crazy notion into his head that 
 farming is the one and only thing for him. His 
 people own lots of land out there, so he's going to 
 go to an agricultural college. ' ' 
 
 "Who will you room with, then?" Polly asked. 
 
 "I don't know. Burr and I have always been 
 together and I can't get used to the idea of any- 
 body else." 
 
 "Oh, cheer up, you'll find some one nicer than 
 Burr at college," Lois said. "I never liked 
 him much. Thank goodness! I'm hungry," she 
 added as the car drew up in front of the hotel. 
 
 They hurried to the dressing room, removed 
 some of the dirt and then repaired to the dining- 
 room, where they ate a hearty luncheon. It was 
 not until the salad was on the table that Polly ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 "Lois, we forgot to telegraph your mother!" 
 
 Bob was dispatched right then and there, much 
 to his disgust, so that no more time should be lost. 
 That afternoon they went to the theater with Bob 
 and had dinner at the Grand Central Station. 
 The train for the Adirondacks left a little before 
 eight. They had the stateroom at the end of the 
 car, and as it was the first time either of them 
 had spent the night on a train without some older 
 person, they were very much excited. 
 
 "Are you sure you have everything you want?" 
 Bob asked, just before he left them. "I promised 
 
152 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Uncle Boddy not to forget a thing ; he had a million 
 fits that you were going alone, and that he couldn't 
 be here to start you off safe and sound at least.' 9 
 
 " Let's see," Polly assumed a business-like air. 
 "Tickets? yes. Money? yes. Extra money, in 
 case of accident? yes. Card of identification? yes. 
 Yes, Bob, I guess we have everything. And, of 
 course, Louise is sure to meet us." 
 
 "Thanks for the candy, big brother, dear," Lois 
 said teasingly. "I am sure we will get there all 
 right. Hadn't you better put us in the conduc- 
 tor's care?" 
 
 "I have already," Bob replied, "I told him you 
 were my little sisters, and to take good care of 
 you." 
 
 "Bobbie, you didn't!" 
 
 "Of course I did." 
 
 "We're starting!" The car gave a sudden 
 lurch, and Polly was frightened. 
 
 "No, we're not, that's only the engine backing 
 up," Bob assured her, "but I guess I'd better be 
 going." 
 
 Polly followed him to the vestibule of the car. 
 Lois had already started unpacking her bag. 
 "Good-by, and thanks a lot for meeting us," she 
 said. 
 
 ' 6 Well, I only hope you get there all right. Lo 
 is sure to do something crazy. The last time I 
 went anywhere with her she lost her hat." Bob 
 
The Visit 
 
 153 
 
 chuckled at the memory. Then he added seri- 
 ously : 
 
 ' i Don't forget to wire mother, and say, Poll, 
 while you're about it, you might wire me too, 
 then 111 let Uncle Eoddy know. Will you?" 
 
 "Yes, Bob, of course I will, and you'll let me 
 know if you hear about your exams, won't you?" 
 
 "You bet, I'll send a wire with Murray,' if I 
 pass and ' gloom' if I flunk." 
 
 The train started moving. Bob said a hasty 
 good-by and swung to the platform. Lois joined 
 Polly and they waved until they were out of 
 sight. 
 
 They went back to their stateroom much too 
 wide awake to think of bed. About ten o'clock 
 Lois decided she must have something to eat. "I 
 tell you, I'm starved," she insisted. 
 
 "Well, let's order something," Polly more for 
 the novelty of it than from any real hunger, 
 pressed the bell, and when the smiling porter ar- 
 rived, ordered two chicken sandwiches and two 
 bottles of ginger ale. He put a table for them be- 
 tween the seats, and they ate and chattered until 
 after eleven. 
 
 It was all they could do to hurry out of their 
 berths next morning. They had breakfast and 
 were hardly ready to get off as the train stopped 
 at the tiny station. It was a soft, misty morning, 
 with that strange quiet, peculiar to the Adiron- 
 
154 Polly's Slimmer Vacation 
 
 dacks, which makes even the breaking of a twig 
 a noise. It seemed less than a minute before they 
 found themselves stranded on the platform with 
 the train already out of sight. They looked 
 around them in sleepy eyed surprise, which gave 
 way to utter bewilderment as they realized that 
 Louise was not there to meet them. Polly tried 
 the station door, it was locked. 
 
 They were alone, quite decidedly alone. The 
 only familiar object in sight was the little patent 
 leather trunk standing on one end down the plat- 
 form. 
 
 They faced each other. 
 
 "Well?" Lois asked anxiously, a little tremor 
 in her voice. 
 
 "Well," Polly answered, with suppressed ex- 
 citement, but no trace of fear. 
 
 "Are you sure you wrote Louise the right 
 train?" Lois inquired. 
 
 "Positive; she's delayed, that's all; she'll prob- 
 ably show up in a few minutes." Polly was re- 
 assuring. She sniffed the balsam air joyously. 
 "It would be a lark if we'd gotten out at the wrong 
 station, wouldn't it?" she added; "we'd have to 
 walk." 
 
 Lois eyed her suspiciously. 
 
 "Where?" she demanded, in so flat a tone, that 
 it should have squelched such an absurd sugges- 
 tion. 
 
The Visit 
 
 155 
 
 "Oh, I don't know. We'd find camp if we fol- 
 lowed the right trail.' ' 
 
 ' 6 Polly, you're silly," Lois' scorn was wilting. 
 
 But Polly's venturesome spirit refused to be 
 snubbed. 
 
 "I know it," she agreed happily, "but I can't 
 help it, this place thrills me. I expect to meet an 
 Indian chief any minute, or a bear. ' ' 
 
 Lois ' reply was cut short by the welcome sound 
 of carriage wheels. A buck-board was coming 
 down the road at full tilt. 
 
 "Louise," Lois exclaimed hopefully. 
 
 "It is not, it's two boys," Polly corrected. 
 ' ' Wonder who they are ? ' ' She looked inquiringly 
 at the two lanky occupants of the front seat, 
 as they drove up to the platform with a flour- 
 ish. 
 
 She had time to see that the one who was driving 
 was tall, broad shouldered and very brown, before 
 her eyes were caught and held by the amazing 
 sight of his companion. He was a boy of perhaps 
 sixteen or seventeen, with a shock of tawny col- 
 ored hair, blue almond shaped eyes and a mouth 
 that was nothing more than a long fixed grin that 
 turned up at the ends ; he looked for all the world 
 like an overgrown brownie. So much so, that 
 Polly looked at his ears, half expecting to see them 
 pointed. 
 
 The driver jumped to the ground, and after a 
 
156 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 hurried glance at the initials on Lois ' trunk walked 
 up to the girls. 
 
 ' ' You're Lois Farwell and Polly Pendleton, 
 aren't you?" he inquired, smiling. ' ' Though I 
 don't know which is which. I'm Francis Preston, 
 Louise's cousin." The girls gave a guilty start. 
 "Lou isn't quite strong enough yet to get up at 
 five o'clock," he went on, "so she sent us over 
 for you." 
 
 "You're Francis." Lois looked incredulous. 
 "Why, I thought Frances was a girl." 
 
 "A girl! I say, I'm sorry to disappoint you." 
 Mr. Grant looked decidedly uncomfortable. 
 
 "But I'm not disappointed, I'm tickled to 
 death." Then, realizing that was not exactly the 
 thing to say, she held out her hand. "How do 
 you do." 
 
 Polly followed suit. 
 
 "I'm awfully glad you came," she said. "We 
 were beginning to wonder what we should do. 
 Lo was sure we'd written Louise the wrong train." 
 
 They walked toward the carriage. 
 
 "I'm awfully sorry we kept you waiting," Fran- 
 cis apologized. "You'll have to blame that on 
 Vert; he's the lazy one. I couldn't get him up." 
 
 "Oh, Frank, that's not fair, giving a fellow a 
 bad name before he's introduced." The answer 
 came in slow complaining tones, as the grin broad- 
 ened. 
 
The Visit 
 
 157 
 
 Frank laughed. 
 
 " That's right, my mistake, Miss Farwell, Miss 
 Pendleton, this is Mr. Verton Eeade." 
 
 Vert unwound his legs, which seemed to have 
 been twisted around each other a remarkable num- 
 ber of times, stepped over the wheel and shook 
 hands with Polly and Lois. 
 
 "Come and help me with the trunk,' ' Francis 
 commanded. 
 
 Vert shrugged his shoulders and reluctantly 
 obeyed. 
 
 The girls watched his retreating figure. 
 Though whether it was his blue check shirt, his 
 orange tie or his vivid green socks that held their 
 attention it is hard to say; they were all equally 
 startling. 
 
 "Lois," Polly gasped, when he was out of hear- 
 ing, "I'll die laughing. Look at that shirt, it 
 looks like a thunder and lightning storm." 
 
 Lois giggled. 
 
 "Hush," she warned, a minute later. "Don't 
 stare so, they are coming back." 
 
 "I'll have to send a telegram," Polly said, as 
 they approached. "How can I do it?" 
 
 "Write it out, slip it under the station door and 
 trust to luck, old Lemuel sends it," Francis told 
 her, producing paper and pencil from his pocket. 
 
 Polly wrote out her messages. One to Mrs. 
 Farwell and one to Bob, and slipped them under 
 
158 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 the door as directed, then they climbed hurriedly 
 into the carriage, while the boys strapped the 
 trunk on behind. Frank whipped up the horses — 
 two splendid bays — and away they dashed. 
 
 "Jemima! are they running away?" Lois de- 
 manded, hanging on to Polly for dear life. 
 "Don't make them go so fast," she pleaded. 
 
 "Never fear, they can't much longer; this is the 
 only part of the road that is a road," Francis an- 
 swered her, "and I like to make the best of it." 
 
 As he spoke, he slowed the horses down to a 
 walk, as the road straggled off into the woods. 
 
 Both boys turned in their seats and the con- 
 versation began. 
 
 "How is Louise? You know she had been sick 
 and operated on before we knew a thing about it," 
 Lois said. 
 
 "Oh, she's all right, but she's still a little 
 shaky," Francis told her. 
 
 "And gee, she's pale," Vert made a long and 
 horrible face, in his attempt to picture her wan 
 look. 
 
 Polly laughed. 
 
 ' i Goodness ! I hope she doesn 't look like that, ' ' 
 she cried. 
 
 "Well, I never !" Vert could hardly be said to 
 speak. He mumbled and all his words rolled into 
 one another, he made another face, this time the 
 corners of his mouth turned up, and his eyes, 
 
The Visit 
 
 which were the biggest part of him, grew round 
 as saucers. 
 
 Polly and Lois doubled up with laughter. 
 
 i 1 He, he, looks like Billikins, ' ' Polly managed to 
 say between giggles. 
 
 " Billikins !' ' Francis roared with laughter. 
 "Billikins,' ' he repeated; "of course he does, I 
 never thought of it before. Billikins he'll be. 
 Wait till I tell the boys at school. You've hit it 
 this time, Miss Pendleton.' ' 
 
 "Say, you're mean," Vert looked over his shoul- 
 der with such a crestfallen expression, that for the 
 moment, Polly felt a tinge of remorse. 
 
 "I'm not, really," she said; "if I honestly 
 thought it I wouldn't say it. You don't think I'd 
 tease a lame man about being lame, do you ? ' ' she 
 asked with her sweetest smile. 
 
 "Say," Vert's tone was decided, he began to 
 unwind his legs, "I'm coming back there. You 
 don't mind sitting with Frank, do you, Miss Far- 
 well?" 
 
 "That's a good idea," Francis agreed; "let's 
 move around." 
 
 He stopped the horses and the exchange of seats 
 was made. The arrangement proved to be thor- 
 oughly satisfactory. Lois and Frank made the 
 delightful discovery that they enjoyed talking to 
 each other, but what is more rare and important, 
 they enjoyed listening to each other. They laid 
 
160 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 the foundation of a lasting friendship as they 
 jogged through the mysterious, wise old woods. 
 
 Polly and Vert, on the back seat, laughed and 
 made faces and teased each other until the camp 
 was in sight. 
 
 It was in the heart of the woods, on a small lake, 
 the beginning of a chain, Francis explained. The 
 Prestons lived in canvas tents in the roughest man- 
 ner, with a guide as the only servant. 
 
 Louise and her mother were waiting for them in 
 front of the mess tent, and at the sight of their 
 beloved friend, Polly and Lois forgot their escorts 
 and embraced her, with all the vigor of Seddon 
 Hall hugs. They found her changed in some un- 
 explainable way. She was so weak and quiet. It 
 was hard to pick up the threads of friendship 
 where they had dropped them, but school and the 
 exchange of news soon wore away the restraint, 
 and Louise cheered up visibly under the incessant 
 chatter. 
 
 In the evening they went for a paddle on the 
 lake with the boys, but they were ready for bed 
 long before their usual time. Neither of them 
 had ever slept under canvas before, nor on pine 
 boughs. 
 
 i ' This is a lark, isn't it?" Lois inquired, when 
 they had retired to their tent for the night. She 
 was sitting on the edge of her bunk. 
 
 ' i You bet it is, but oh, dear, how sleepy this air 
 
The Visit 
 
 161 
 
 makes me." Polly yawned. " Isn't Vert a 
 scream!" she whispered. 
 
 "I love him when he grins," Lois answered. 
 
 ' 6 Grins, you mean when he grins some more, 
 his month is nothing but a grin," Polly laughed. 
 6 ' Francis is nice too, don't you think!" 
 
 "Oh, yes, he's great. Wasn't it a joke our 
 thinking he was a girl?" Lois asked. "Hi, hum, 
 I see larks ahead," she finished, blowing out the 
 candle. 
 
 Polly yawned again, snuggled down under her 
 steamer rug and murmured sleepily: "Let 'em 
 come." 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE FIRST DAY AT CAMP 
 
 "Oh, Polly, wake up, won't you, please?" Vert's 
 drawling voice wafted through the flap of the 
 girls ' tent, disturbing the last blissful moments of 
 sleep. 
 
 It was only an hour or so after sunrise, but the 
 boys were wide awake and apparently anxious to 
 begin the day. Francis joined his plea to Vert's, 
 and though Polly and Lois struggled to keep 
 asleep, it was useless. 
 
 "We'll get up right away, if you'll keep still," 
 Polly called. Adding as an afterthought, "Billi- 
 kins. ' ' 
 
 Vert groaned, and she knew he was making a 
 face. 
 
 "There you go; I wish I'd let you sleep." 
 
 "Get into your bathing suits and come down to 
 the lake for a dip," Francis added; "it's great this 
 morning." 
 
 Lois and Polly shivered. They were frozen as 
 it was, and the thought of icy water was not tempt- 
 ing. However, they hurried into their suits and 
 joined the boys. 
 
 162 
 
The First Day at Camp 
 
 163 
 
 It was a cool frosty morning. The dew on the 
 leaves, the bright sun on the lake, made the world 
 glitter and sparkle. Polly took a deep breath, 
 threw out her chest and welcomed the day with a 
 full contented sigh. 
 
 Lois shivered, but her eyes feasted on the scene 
 before her. Unlike Polly, her sigh was one of 
 wonder. Everything was so beautiful that it hurt, 
 and she caught her breath in a very ecstasy oi 
 delight. 
 
 The boys already at the lake, called impatiently, 
 and they hurried to them. Mrs. Preston called 
 a cheery good morning from her tent. Louise, 
 it seemed, was still asleep in spite of all the 
 noise. 
 
 "I'm so cold," Lois shivered; "let's run and 
 get warmed up before we go in, ,, she suggested. 
 Francis agreed and they started off towards the 
 woods at a dog trot. 
 
 Polly and Vert decided to make the plunge at 
 once. 
 
 "If I don't go in now, I never will," Polly said. 
 "I couldn't get up my courage. I'll race you 
 across the lake." 
 
 "All right, come on. ' ' Vert implied by his tone 
 that if she wanted to be beaten, he had nothing to 
 say. They plunged together into the icy water, 
 and swam vigorously to the other shore. Polly 
 won! She suspected Vert of shamming. 
 
.164 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Did you let me beat you?" she demanded, as 
 they rested on the other bank. 
 
 "No!" Vert ejaculated, overcome by surprise. 
 "Catch me letting a girl beat me if I can help it. 
 Where did you learn to swim?" 
 
 "Oh, in the water," Polly told him airily. "I 
 don't remember when I didn't know how. Watch 
 Lois." 
 
 They looked across the lake. Francis was in 
 the water, but Lois was still on land. 
 
 "You'll never get in that way," they heard him 
 say. "Just jump all at once, it's great." 
 
 "But it's over my head," Lois squealed. 
 
 "Well, can't you swim!" Vert called over to 
 her. 
 
 "Yes, but I like to know where bottom is. I 
 know I'm a baby, but I can't help it. 
 
 4 ' Keep still, Vert. ' ' Francis ' tone was peremp- 
 tory. "I won't let you sink, I promise," he told 
 Lois. 
 
 "All right, here goes, but I know I'll freeze to 
 death if I don't drown." There was a loud 
 splash. 
 
 "There, you're all right," from Francis. 
 
 "I'm not, I'm not. Where are you? Oh!" 
 
 "Here, put your arm on my shoulder. Now 
 you're safe." 
 
 "Yes, but I'm cold." Poor Lois' voice was al- 
 most a sob. 
 
The First Day at Camp 
 
 165 
 
 Polly laughed in spite of herself. 
 6 6 I'll race you back/' she said to Vert. 
 "Ah! what's your hurry?" he begged. 
 "You're lazy." 
 
 "No, I'm not ; I'm just passive, rather than ac- 
 tive." 
 
 "That's the same thing. Come on, we'll take it 
 easy." 
 
 They rolled into the water and swam with long, 
 easy strokes back to shore. 
 
 "Breakfast in fifteen minutes," Louise called 
 out from the mess tent, as they passed on their 
 way to dress; "so hustle." 
 
 Polly blew her a good morning kiss. 
 
 "Breakfast! What a welcome thought. Oh, 
 Lou, I'm starved." And Polly dived into her 
 tent. 
 
 "H'm, that coffee smells good. Where are the 
 boys!" she asked twenty minutes later, as they 
 sat down on the rude benches around the table. 
 
 "Oh, they've had their breakfast and have 
 started out hunting," Louise laughed. "They'll 
 be back in a couple of hours for a second one, 
 though. I think Vert was ashamed to face you, 
 Poll, after the way you beat him swimming." 
 
 "He let me; he was just too lazy to try," Polly 
 answered. "I'm ready for some more pan- 
 cakes." 
 
 "So am I," echoed Lois. "Anything that's 
 
166 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 hot. I'm sure you'll never get me in that lake 
 again, not until it's steam heated anyway." 
 
 Breakfast over, they washed up the dishes — 
 the guide was off with the boys — and set the table 
 for luncheon. 
 
 "Now, let's go out and talk," Louise said when 
 they had finished. "I declare if I had known 
 that the boys were going to want so much of your 
 company, I'd have sent them away before you 
 came. ' ' 
 
 "H'm," Lois sniffed, "looks as if they wanted 
 us this morning, doesn't it?" 
 
 "Oh, they'll be back pretty soon," Louise as- 
 sured her. 
 
 "And now tell me all about this summer and 
 what you've been doing." 
 
 Lois began, Polly interrupted and corrected, 
 and Louise and Mrs. Preston asked questions for 
 the rest of the morning. It was great fun. They 
 hadn't realized what a good time they had had 
 until they began talking about it. The boys came 
 and ate, tried to break up the gab fest, as they 
 termed it, and departed in disgust to fish. 
 
 "Are you going to talk all the afternoon, too?" 
 Vert demanded at luncheon. "It beats me what 
 girls find to say to each other all the time." 
 
 "Things you wouldn't understand," Lois told 
 him. "For instance, this morning we discussed 
 the approximate position of the equator in regard 
 
The First Da}- at Camp 167 
 
 to the sun, and the therapeutic value of manipula- 
 tion on the soft tissues. " 
 
 Vert screwed his face up, and looked more like 
 Billikins than ever. 
 
 4 1 Now she's starting too; it's catching," he 
 groaned. 
 
 ' ' What is!" Louise asked, laughing. 
 "I don't know. What she does." He pointed 
 to Polly. 
 
 " That's known in polite society as slamming," 
 Francis explained with a grin. 
 
 "Well, I don't see that my question is answered 
 yet," Vert reminded them. "Are you going to 
 talk all the afternoon, or are you going to give 
 us the pleasure of your company and your 
 slams?" 
 
 "They are." Louise settled the question for 
 them. "They have been angels to poke around 
 here with me all morning, and I know they must 
 want some excitement. This is a poor place to 
 come for it." 
 
 "As the boys say, there is never anything do- 
 ing," Mrs. Preston said. She was a tall, slim, 
 quiet woman, with little to say, but with a smile 
 for every one. 
 
 "You forget the games on Saturday," Louise 
 reminded her. "That's what I'm saving up my 
 strength for; it's the one thrill of the year up 
 here, that, and the fireworks on the Fourth. ' ' 
 
168 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 6 ' What happens f " Polly asked. 
 
 "Oh, it's a lark. We all get up about five 
 o'clock, take canoes and paddle for miles and 
 miles, till we reach the Hill's Camp. Everybody 
 else has been doing the same thing, so there 's quite 
 a crowd.' ' 
 
 "Where do we paddle? You can't go far on 
 this lake," Lois asked, in wide eyed amazement. 
 
 Frank and Vert exchanged amused glances, and 
 Vert said: 
 
 "I'll explain. Now give me your entire atten- 
 tion." He paused for a minute, until an impres- 
 sive silence had fallen on his listeners. "First, 
 we get into the canoes and paddle up to the end 
 of this lake," he began. "Then, and here comes 
 the secret, we open a little door that is there; it's 
 a very small door, so little that we lie down flat 
 on the floor of the canoe. The door leads to a 
 very small and black tunnel, inhabited by snakes 
 and frogs. We go through that until we reach 
 the next lake, and so with them all ; it 's very sim- 
 ple, except when you get stuck; that makes it 
 awkward. ' ' 
 
 " Oh ! " Lois didn 't quite dare to believe or dis- 
 believe. "Is that really so!" she said, looking 
 from one to the other. 
 
 Suddenly, they all began to laugh, and Vert got 
 up to give a little jig. 
 
 ' i She bit, oh, rapturous revenge, she bit. There 
 
The First Day at Camp 169 
 
 now I've paid you back. It's your turn next, 
 Polly." 
 
 "Lo, how could you believe it?" Polly was 
 still laughing. "I should think that living with 
 Bob you'd be used to teasing by now." 
 
 "I know it," Lois sighed profoundly, her good 
 nature not one bit ruffled. "I always believe 
 everything. It's because I'm so honest, I sup- 
 pose, and I expect it from others." 
 
 ' ' Oh, there you go again ; that 's not fair. I said 
 we were even." Vert looked worried. 
 
 4 4 Well, do go on and tell us what happens when 
 we get to Hill's Camp; Louise, never mind how 
 we get there," Polly said. 
 
 "Oh, there are all sorts of games and contests. 
 A canoe race, a swimming race. Poll, you ought 
 to enter for that. A shooting match and an arch- 
 ery contest." 
 
 "Suppose you finish telling about it outside," 
 Mrs. Preston interrupted. "I want to get the 
 table cleared off while Murray is here to help." 
 
 "Come on, Lois, we're going for that walk," 
 Francis announced, as they pushed back their 
 chairs. His tone implied that they had planned 
 for it long ago. Lois agreed at once, and before 
 the others were settled in the steamer chairs, they 
 were out of sight. 
 
 "If you'll come down to the lake, Polly, I'll 
 teach you to paddle. You could stand some les- 
 
170 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 sons, you know, after the way you splashed around 
 last night." Vert drawled the words out, waiting 
 ages between each one. 
 
 "I like that; I've been told that I paddle just 
 like an Indian," Polly retorted, not knowing 
 whether he was in earnest or not. 
 
 Vert bowed low. 
 
 "I didn't know we had a Minnie Ha Ha in our 
 midst. Come on, though, just the same." 
 
 "No, thanks, I'm going to stay and talk to Lou; 
 that's why I came up here." Polly settled her- 
 self comfortably on the ground beside Louise's 
 chair. 
 
 "No, you're not, Poll; go along, you must," 
 Louise insisted. But Polly refused. 
 
 She began to talk about school. Vert wandered 
 away, dejection in the droop of his shoulders. He 
 returned a couple of hours later, and threw him- 
 self down on the ground beside Polly. He looked 
 so down hearted, that she finally had pity on him 
 and they started for the lake. 
 
 Once in the canoe, after the instructions had 
 been drawn out to their utmost limit, a sudden 
 silence settled on Vert. Every time Polly looked 
 at him he made faces. Sometimes he screwed up 
 his mouth and imitated a fish, sometimes it was 
 a rabbit. Polly watched and applauded until she 
 got tired. 
 
 "Oh, stop making faces. Don't you ever say 
 
The First Day at Camp 171 
 
 anything ? ' ' she asked, thinking longingly of Bob 's 
 clever talk. 
 
 Vert yawned. "Nope," he replied slowly. 
 "I'm lingually lazy." 
 "You're what?" 
 "Lingually lazy." 
 
 Polly laughed at the new word. "Well, there's 
 one thing, you're not facially lazy anyway," she 
 told him. "I'm tired of paddling, let's go back. 
 I wonder where Lo and Francis are. They must 
 have taken quite a long walk ; they've been gone- for 
 hours. Could they get lost!" 
 
 "No, not Frank, he knows more about these 
 woods than the guides. They're probably home 
 by now." 
 
 But they were not home when they returned to 
 camp, and Mrs. Preston and Louise were growing 
 anxious. 
 
 "Why, they started at three o'clock, and it's 
 five now," Mrs. Preston said. She dropped her 
 sewing in her lap and looked toward the woods. 
 
 For another hour they waited, trying to put 
 down the fear that kept growing in their minds. 
 Even Vert's good humor suffered a temporary 
 eclipse. By six o'clock they were thoroughly 
 aroused. 
 
 6 ' Go shoot off a gun, Vert, ' ' Louise said. 
 Mrs. Preston went over to the guard's tent and 
 conferred with Murray. 
 
172 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Suddenly, they all seemed to be afraid. 
 "It's still light, and nothing could happen to 
 them." 
 
 Louise tried to put confidence into her words, 
 but failed utterly. 
 
 "Oh, let's do something. Can't we go out and 
 look for them?" Polly was really frightened. 
 The woods seemed to be closing around them as 
 the sun sank, and she pictured all sorts of horrors, 
 from finding Lois dead, to breaking the news to 
 Mrs. Farwell. 
 
 "Yes, come on, if you want to. "We'll start out 
 on this trail, Murray's going in the other direc- 
 tion. Wait till I get a lantern. ' ' Vert started for 
 his tent. 
 
 They plunged into the woods, Polly in the lead. 
 After they had gone a quarter of a mile, she broke 
 into a run. Vert fired off his gun at regular inter- 
 vals, and away to the east, they heard the report 
 of Murray's too. 
 
 Fright sometimes takes the shape of silence. It 
 was so in this case. They walked on, without ex- 
 changing a word, watching the shadowy trail 
 ahead, their ears strained for the sound of voices. 
 The soft earth gave way under their rubber soled 
 shoes, so that they traveled as quietly as Indians. 
 
 Just when the oppressive silence and the hun- 
 dred unnamed fears were causing the muscles in 
 Polly's throat to contract, and all her reasoning 
 
The First Day at Camp 173 
 
 powers to give way to panicky terror, so that she 
 thought she would faint, a shout of laughter, clear 
 and bubbling, as only Lois' laughter could be, 
 made them stop short in their tracks. 
 
 "Lois!" Polly fairly shrieked the word. 
 "Where are you?" 
 
 ' ' Oh, hello, ' ' came the reply. 4 ' We 're here. ' ' 
 
 "Dive into the right, by the big tree and you'll 
 find us," Francis directed, as though they were 
 playing the simplest game of hide and go seek. 
 
 Vert and Polly obeyed and discovered the cul- 
 prits calmly sitting on a log, in a cozy inclosure. 
 A tin target was tacked to one of the trees at 
 the farther end and Vert saw an arrow lying on 
 the ground beneath it. 
 
 One glance at their cool assurance was enough 
 for Polly. Her fear turned, as is often the case, 
 to an unreasonable anger, and she turned on Lois 
 with a Polly esque fury. 
 
 Poor Lois and Frank looked at each other in 
 mute amazement. They had been having the 
 nicest sort of a time, and, behold, the rage of 
 Polly and Vert were upon them for no apparent 
 reason. 
 
 "What have we done?" Lois demanded, when 
 Polly subsided. 
 
 "Only scared us out of a seven years' growth. 
 We'd buried you with a bullet in each of your 
 heads and put lilies on your graves," Vert told 
 
174 Polly's Slimmer Vacation 
 
 her. "It's long past six. Didn't you hear us 
 firing?" 
 
 Then, for the first time, Lois and Frank looked 
 properly guilty. 
 
 "Oh, Poll, I'm so sorry. We must have fright- 
 ened you. We 'd no idea what time it was and we 
 thought the firing were hunters. ' ' 
 
 But a thousand apologies from Lois and as 
 many explanations from Francis could not soften 
 Polly, though they won Louise's and Mrs. Pres- 
 ton's forgiveness on the return to Camp. 
 
 It was an uncomfortable evening. For the first 
 time since the girls had known each other, they 
 went to bed "mad" and woke up "mad," and 
 stayed "mad" all day. 
 
 Had it not been for a slip of yellow paper, there 
 is no knowing how long they would have kept up 
 the foolish silence between them. Polly had 
 righteous indignation on her side, caused by a 
 nerve racking fright, and Lois was conscious of 
 that injured innocence only possible to a clear con- 
 science. 
 
CHAPTER Xni 
 
 AT HILL'S CAMP 
 
 "Want to drive down for the mail with me, 
 Polly V Vert asked. "I can't find the rest; do 
 you know where they are f ' ' 
 
 It was two o'clock of the day before the excur- 
 sion to Hill's Camp. Lois and Polly were still 
 keeping up their quarrel, not that either of them 
 had the slightest anger against the other, for it 
 had now become merely a question of which should 
 speak first. 
 
 When Vert called to Polly she was standing be- 
 side the lake looking aimlessly at the perfect re- 
 flection of herself mirrored on its smooth surface. 
 She was thinking how terrible it would be if 
 Lois and she did not make up before they 
 returned home. So absorbed was she, that 
 Vert had to repeat his question before she heard 
 him. 
 
 "Yes, I'd love to go; I clon't know where the 
 others are. I saw Francis go off with Murray," 
 Polly answered. 
 
 "Where's Lois and Louise?" 
 
 175 
 
176 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Here I am," Louise called. "What do you 
 want?" 
 
 "Company to go for the mail," Vert told her. 
 "You and Polly come on, I have the wagon 
 ready. ' ' 
 
 "All right, I'd love to; wait till I get my hat," 
 Louise replied. 
 
 The mail was delivered by Eural Free Delivery 
 to within five miles of the Preston Camp. The 
 drive to the main road where the tin mail box 
 was mailed to a tree was through the woods. The 
 road was rough, and because of Louise, Vert let 
 the horses amble along at their own lazy pace. 
 
 "It seems good to get away from camp. I al- 
 ways went for the mail, last year," Louise said. 
 
 "How much longer are you going to feel like a 
 rag f ' ' Vert asked. There was real concern in his 
 voice. He turned around in his seat. 
 
 "I don't feel like a rag, I feel fine, only I 
 get tired quickly, and you know I'll have to get 
 over that by September." Louise spoke with de- 
 cision. 
 
 "Then you are going to college, Lou?" Polly 
 asked. ' 6 1 was afraid you wouldn 't be able to. ' ' 
 "Of course I am." 
 
 "But you won't be able to go out for the team, 
 will you?" 
 
 Louise sighed regretfully. "No, I suppose 
 not," she said. 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 177 
 
 "I wonder who'll be captain up at Seddon Hall, 
 this year?" Polly inquired. 
 
 "I shouldn't worry about it. You and Lois are 
 sure to make the team, no matter who's captain." 
 
 "The big team?" Polly was incredulous. 
 
 "Yes, of course." 
 
 "Never!" 
 
 ' ' Silly child, of course you will. Do you know, 
 Poll, I'm disappointed in you and Lo?" Louise 
 was very serious. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "I never thought you'd be foolish enough to 
 fight; it's so childish. You think the rest of us 
 don't notice it, but we do. Why don't you make 
 up?" 
 
 Criticism from the adored Louise was a serious 
 thing. Polly said what a million other girls have 
 said before her : 
 
 "I'm not mad at Lo; she's mad at me." 
 
 "That's exactly what Lois said this morning. 
 When I get back, I'm going to take you both by 
 the neck and bang your heads together." But 
 there was no need for such drastic measures. 
 
 Vert, who had been trying not to listen to the 
 conversation, jumped out when they reached the 
 mail box, unlocked it and returned to the wagon 
 with an armful of letters and papers. 
 
 "Mrs. R. L. Preston — Miss Louise Preston — 
 half a dozen fat letters as usual — Miss Lois Far- 
 
178 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 well — Hello! Here's a telegram; it's for you, 
 Polly." 
 
 ' ' Give it to me, quick; I bet I know what it 
 is." Polly almost snatched the yellow envelope 
 and tore it open. 
 
 "Oh, good," she exclaimed; ' ' Bob's passed his 
 exams. Listen to this, 'Hurray, but Latin a close 
 shave. Come back soon.' " 
 
 "Who's Bob, anyway!" Vert asked testily. 
 
 "Lois' brother," Polly answered, surprised. 
 
 Vert gathered up the reins, and turned the 
 horses towards home. 
 
 "Humph! I thought he was yours, the fuss 
 you're making. What's he telegraphing to you 
 for?" he asked. 
 
 "Because he's the best friend I've got," Polly 
 replied crisply. 
 
 "What's he taking exams for?" 
 
 "To get into Harvard." 
 
 " Oh ! " Vert 's entire manner changed ; he was 
 once again the smiling "Billikins." "Is he go- 
 ing up to Harvard this year?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "So am I." 
 
 "Really." 
 
 "Sure thing." 
 
 ' ' Have you been taking exams ? ' ' Polly looked 
 doubtful. 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 179 
 
 "Only two, this year. You see, I tried to get 
 in last year, and — well, I didn't, that is — I passed 
 in everything but two things, Geometry and His- 
 tory. I took those again this year, and now I 
 suppose all the Profs are waiting to greet me with 
 open arms. Gee ! I hope I make the crew," he fin- 
 ished excitedly. 
 
 "You!" Polly shook her head, "you won't, 
 you're too passive," she teased. 
 
 But Vert's only reply was a Sphinx like smile. 
 
 When they returned to camp, Polly was the first 
 out of the wagon. "Lo," she cried excitedly, 
 "come here quick." 
 
 But Lois was nowhere in sight. 
 
 1 1 Where under the sun is she ? I must tell her. ' ' 
 Polly pranced with impatience. 
 
 "I bet I know," Francis said; "wait a second 
 till I go get her." He was off at a run into the 
 woods. 
 
 "Don't tell what it is," Polly called after him. 
 
 He returned in a few minutes with Lois. They 
 had been running fast and were both out of breath. 
 
 "What is it?" Lois demanded, falling into a 
 big chair and fanning herself with her handker- 
 chief. 
 
 "This," and Polly held the telegram before her 
 eyes. "Bob has passed all his exams, even Latin. 
 Isn't that great?" she exclaimed. 
 
180 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Oh, but I'm glad!" Lois jumped up and 
 caught Polly's arm. "When did it come? and 
 what does 'hurray' mean?" 
 
 Louise and her mother exchanged glances. 
 
 "And that's an end to that," Louise whispered. 
 
 Saturday morning found them all up bright and 
 early, busy with preparations for the day. 
 
 It was a clear cool morning. The sun, not very 
 high in the sky, shone through rifts of fleecy white 
 clouds and touched first one point and then an- 
 other with its golden rays. 
 
 "For goodness' sake, don't forget the salt this 
 trip, or the bottle opener," Vert beseeched. 
 
 He was busy packing a hamper under Mrs. Pres- 
 ton's direction. His remark, however, was meant 
 for Louise, who was busy in the mess tent. 
 
 "The last time I went on one of these trips, 
 we — I say we, though of course I was only com- 
 pany then and I had nothing to say about it." 
 He screwed his eye up at Polly in what was in- 
 tended for a wink. "We forgot them both, and 
 ate hard boiled eggs and drank ginger ale flavored 
 with glass shavings." 
 
 "Vert, you're a wretch. I promise we won't 
 forget a thing this trip," Louise assured him, 
 "And now come and eat breakfast. It's about 
 ready, isn't it, Murray?" 
 
 Murray nodded his head solemnly as he placed 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 181 
 
 the steaming coffee pot on the table, and they all 
 sat down. 
 
 " Who's going to paddle, who?" asked Francis. 
 * 1 There are two canoes going, so that means three 
 in each." 
 
 "Won't that be a tight squeeze?" Mrs. Preston 
 
 said. ' ' Hadn 't I better stay home ? ' ' 
 "No," chorused everybody, and Francis added: 
 "It will be fun; why there'll really be room 
 
 to spare." 
 
 "Better part your hair in the middle, Mother," 
 Louise teased, "You know how tippy they are." 
 
 "Oh, Louise, don't; you know how nervous I 
 am." 
 
 Mrs. Preston, though she had always camped 
 during the summer, had never lost her fear of be- 
 ing tipped in a canoe. 
 
 "You better go with us, Mrs. Preston; then 
 you'll be safe," Vert said. "I wouldn't trust 
 Francis." 
 
 "Who's us?" inquired Louise. 
 
 "Polly, of course." Vert was quite matter of 
 fact. "You don't suppose I've spent all this time 
 teaching her how to paddle properly — it was hard 
 work too. An Indian taught her first; shocking 
 bad teacher he was too. Wasn't he Minnie Ha, 
 Ha?" 
 
 "I never said an Indian taught me how," Polly 
 
182 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 denied stoutly, "and you know it. I said I pad- 
 dled like an Indian, and I was only fooling. And," 
 she added, with fine conceit, " I do too, better than 
 most." 
 
 "Minnie Ha, Ha," Vert said the last as if it 
 were a forced laugh, "goes with me anyway." 
 
 "H'm, I know why that is, you know I'll do 
 all the work, lazy 'Billikins.' I'll go with you 
 only because I want to know Mrs. Preston is in 
 safe hands," Polly teased. 
 
 "Then, Louise, you go with us," Lois said. 
 "May I paddle stern, Frank!" she asked. 
 
 "Yes, on the way home," he told her. "You 
 mustn't get tired; you might want to enter for 
 some contest or something, ' ' he added, with a sig- 
 nificant glance. 
 
 By nine, they are ready to start. Vert's boat 
 started first with Mrs. Preston, Polly and one of 
 the lunch baskets. 
 
 "Now, don't splash any more than you can help, 
 Minnie Ha, Ha," he said, as they shoved off from 
 shore. "Try to be a credit to my teaching." 
 
 Francis' canoe followed close behind, so that 
 conversation was possible. When they reached 
 the end of the lake, Vert called to Lois : 
 
 "Look out for your head, we're going through 
 the tunnel now." But instead they got out of 
 the canoes and carried them over the portage to 
 the next lake, a quarter of a mile beyond. 
 
At twelve o'clock, they struck camp and had 
 luncheon. Page 183 
 
I 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 183 
 
 At twelve o'clock, they struck camp and had 
 luncheon. It was a merry affair; nothing more 
 serious than the butter was forgotten, and the jam 
 took its place. 
 
 "How much longer before we get there V 9 Polly 
 inquired. 
 
 "Getting tired already?" Frank asked. 
 
 "No, indeed, I was just wondering.' ' 
 
 "We could be there by one, if we wanted to, but 
 nothing begins before two, so we'll stay here and 
 rest for a while. It's only about half an hour's 
 more paddling.*' 
 
 They left the baskets under a tree — the one 
 empty, the other filled with the supper, for it was 
 no use carrying them the extra distance. 
 
 As they reached Hill's Camp, they met lots of 
 other boats, and whether they knew the people or 
 rot they called greetings. As Louise had said 
 chere was quite a crowd and the broad open space 
 that led up to the rather imposing log cabin from 
 the largest lake of the chain, was dotted with par- 
 ties. The Prestons' were about the last to arrive, 
 and soon after they had registered in the big guest 
 book, the games began. 
 
 There were relay races for the boys, potato 
 races for the girls, and obstacle races for them 
 both. 
 
 Then came the more serious games. 
 
 Rifle contest for the boys, in which Frank 
 
184 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 showed himself no mean marksman, though a mili- 
 tary man from another camp carried off the cup. 
 
 Next on the program, was the girls ' archery 
 contest, and much to Polly 's and Louise's sur- 
 prise, Lois entered. 
 
 Frank selected her bow for her and strung it, 
 and after discarding several, selected an arrow. 
 
 "What's gotten into Lo?" Polly gasped. "I 
 know she has never shot an arrow in her life. " 
 
 "She seems to know how to go about it." 
 Louise looked wonderingly at Lois' apparent as- 
 surance. 
 
 "I smell a rat," Vert announced, raising his 
 eyebrows and looking crosseyed. He had on the 
 blue checked shirt of the first day, and looked 
 more absurd than ever. 
 
 "Tell us about it, Billikins," Polly begged. 
 
 "A tin target nailed to a tree, an arrow on the 
 ground — I see — I see." Vert was shaking his 
 head from side to side. 
 
 "Where?" Louise demanded. 
 
 "In the little quiet dell," Vert replied. 
 
 "Of course," Polly exclaimed. "That day we 
 thought they were lost, that's what they were up 
 to. Frank was teaching Lois." 
 
 "Watch, it's her turn now," Louise warned. 
 
 All eyes were on Lois, as she stepped up to the 
 line, raised her bow and let fly the arrow. 
 
 "The red, good!" Vert whispered. 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 185 
 
 The next time it was the blue, then the red again. 
 
 "How many arrows has she?" Polly asked. 
 
 "Five more, look at that; now she's done it!" 
 Vert exclaimed, as a shout went up when Lois' 
 fourth arrow hit the black bull's eye. 
 
 The fifth hit the blue, and Lois, escorted tri- 
 umphantly by Frank, joined the others. 
 
 "Well, of all the sly ones," Polly began; "how 
 did you ever learn so fast!" 
 
 "Oh, I had lots of time for practice, and Frank's 
 a wonderful teacher," Lois replied, grinning; it 
 was such fun, having fooled them all. 
 
 "That's where you were the day Bob's wire 
 came. No wonder we couldn't rind you," Polly 
 said. "Look, it's all over. I wonder who won." 
 
 "Lois has," Frank said quietly, referring to a 
 card in his hand. "I've been keeping count." 
 
 He was right. Mr. Hill presented her with the 
 little silver loving cup, with his most gallant bow. 
 
 "We are always glad to see the visitors win," 
 he said, smiling. 
 
 The water sports started next. Vert entered 
 for the canoe race, and, much to Polly's delight, 
 tipped over just before he reached the landing. 
 He was leaning over too far, in his attempt to steer 
 with his body, and so save time. 
 
 "Ah, stop laughing," he said to her later, when 
 he had changed his bathing suit for clothes. "I 
 suppose I'll never hear the end of this." 
 
186 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' 1 Oh, yes, you will, ' ' she answered ; 1 1 you '11 hear 
 about the end of this race, as long as I have the 
 power to laugh. Oh dear, oh dear, Billikins, if 
 you could have seen how funny you looked.' ' 
 
 "Well, let's see you do something better; it's 
 your turn now. ' ' Polly had entered for the swim- 
 ming. 
 
 "All right, here I go, wish me luck," she called, 
 and ran to the raft. 
 
 Vert counted it one of the most unfortunate, but 
 at the same time, the kindest thing the fates had 
 ever done, when they made Polly lose that race. 
 
 He knew she should have won it, was far the 
 best swimmer there, and he never understood why 
 she came in only fourth. 
 
 Polly was not telling anybody that the second 
 she touched the water, her arm had suddenly gone 
 quite lame. It was on account of the long and 
 unaccustomed paddling. That's why, too, that she 
 would make no excuses. 
 
 About five, everybody began to leave. 
 
 Our party were in the best of spirits, and made 
 light of the trip ahead. They picked up the bas- 
 kets where they had left them, but it was not until 
 seven that they decided to eat. 
 
 "I can't paddle another foot without food," 
 Polly declared. 
 
 "Who ever heard of paddling a foot?" Vert 
 
At Hill's Camp 
 
 187 
 
 teased. "Do you mean a stroke? Here, let me 
 open that basket. "What the — ! ' ' 
 "Empty!" 
 
 The word came from every throat, for in the 
 once neatly filled hamper, there was nothing but 
 plates and boxes, while on top was a note scrawled 
 on an envelope. It read: 
 
 "Much obliged for the delightful repast. — A 
 hunter." 
 
 It was tragic, they were so hungry, but it was 
 funny too. They laughed over it, the rest of the 
 way home. 
 
 Lois and Polly were still enjoying it as they 
 undressed later that night, after a dinner that 
 made up for the loss. 
 
 "I never saw anything funnier than Vert's face 
 when he opened that basket," Polly laughed. 
 
 "I know it, haven't we had a lark to-day ?" 
 Lois agreed. "I wish Bet had been here." 
 
 "So do I, and Bob. Lo, wasn't it great he 
 passed?" 
 
 "You bet, I'm glad you got the wire when you 
 did, too." 
 
 "So am I. I was going to tell you I was sorry 
 though anyway." 
 
 "So was I. Say, Poll, don't let's ever have an- 
 other silence ; it was awful. " Lois, already in her 
 bunk, spoke feelingly. 
 
188 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 4 4 No, for goodness' sake, don't let's," Polly re- 
 plied with equal feeling. And after a hearty kiss, 
 she blew out the candle, and jumped into bed. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE MYSTERY SOLVED 
 
 "What's happened to the Kent Place? It's all 
 closed up, ' ' Lois inquired. 
 
 She was sitting with Polly and Mrs. Farwell in 
 their favorite summer house, one afternoon late, a 
 couple of days after their return from camp. As 
 usual, they were having lemonade. Bob was out 
 bass fishing with Uncle Cy. 
 
 To say that it was hot, would be to underesti- 
 mate the intensity of the sun. It was scorching. 
 
 Lois asked her question idly, with no desire for 
 an immediate answer. 
 
 "They are away," Mrs. Farwell replied. 
 "Maud is — " She stopped; if the girls were 
 really interested they would ask for more. She 
 was not going to divulge her secret unless she had 
 eager listeners. 
 
 "Where? Have they gone for good?" Polly 
 asked, feeling, rather than knowing, that there 
 was more to follow. 
 
 "I hope not," Mrs. Farwell replied. "I had a 
 letter from Father and he seems to think they will 
 return shortly. ' J 
 
 189 
 
190 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Lois sat up straight, surprise written in every 
 line of her face. 
 
 "What does Daddie know about it!" she de- 
 manded. 
 
 "I'll tell you, if you really want to hear. I 
 would have told you before this, but you were so 
 excited over your camp trip, and I wanted to be 
 sure you were interested." Mrs. Farwell paused, 
 then added impressively, 1 1 If you will, you can be 
 of the greatest help." 
 
 "Why, Mumsy darling, what are you talking 
 about? What can we do?" Lois asked. 
 
 "Please tell us, Aunt Kate. I can't imagine 
 what it can be that would have something to do 
 with Dr. Farwell, the Banks and us." Polly 
 leaned forward in her eagerness. 
 
 "Do you remember the day you asked Maud to 
 go to the village in the pony cart with you?" 
 
 "Yes, and she cried and wouldn't go. Well?" 
 Lois waited. 
 
 "You came home and told me about it. Then 
 you were so taken up with your visit to camp that 
 you completely forgot the incident." 
 
 "But you didn't ; this is getting exciting," Polly 
 put in. 
 
 "No, I didn't. The day after you left I went 
 over to call on Mrs. Banks. She is a charming 
 woman." Mrs. Farwell paused, then continued: 
 "She has had a great deal of trouble. She told 
 
The Mystery Solved 
 
 191 
 
 me something of her life. She has lived in India 
 most of the time; her husband was an officer in 
 the English Army. Maud was born in Simla. 
 When she was old enough to travel, Mrs. Banks 
 took her to England and left her with her hus- 
 band's sister until she was five years old. She 
 came back to India then and grew up there. Very 
 often there were no children in the village where 
 they were stationed and Maud and her father be- 
 came great companions. She was never very 
 strong, and being so much alone she was old for 
 her age. When she was nine her father died of 
 fever; he was desperately ill for days." Mrs. 
 Farwell's face softened when she remembered the 
 look in Mrs. Banks ' eyes when she told of it. ' 6 He 
 died finally and Maud's grief was terrible, so ter- 
 rible, that for a while they feared her mind would 
 be affected. That was only a year ago ; Maud is 
 just ten now. Mrs. Banks took her to England 
 and then brought her here. She is better, but 
 she has these terrible days of depression, and for 
 some curious reason, she thinks her mother is in 
 some way responsible for her father's death." 
 
 While Mrs. Farwell had been talking, Lois and 
 Polly's expression had changed from interest to a 
 hurt wonder. 
 
 ' 'Don't stop," Lois said softly. 
 
 "I s told Daddie about it when he and Eoddy 
 were here for over Sunday while you were away. 
 
192 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 They were both interested. Roddy wanted to do 
 something at once. ' ' 
 
 1 ' He would, ' ' Polly smiled gently. ' < What hap- 
 pened ?" 
 
 "X asked Mrs. Banks to bring Maud over to tea. 
 She did — though the poor child didn't want to 
 come — and Daddie got her to talk to him, and 
 even go for a walk. They were gone for quite a 
 while, and when Maud came back she seemed much 
 brighter. ' ' 
 
 "Daddie always makes people brighter,' ' Lois 
 said, tears in her eyes — ' 6 but go on." 
 
 "We didn't say anything before her, just talked 
 about you two and school, things that should have 
 interested her, for a little while, and then they 
 went home." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell stopped to sip her lemonade. 
 Polly and Lois kept an expectant silence. 
 
 "That evening, after Maud was in bed, Roddy 
 went over for Mrs. Banks and brought her here. 
 Daddie and I were on the terrace. She wanted to 
 know what Dad thought, the minute she came, and 
 he told her that Maud could easily be cured. She 
 was suffering from an exaggerated case of nerves, 
 that a little while in a sanitarium with this new 
 treatment of suggestion would be all she needed. 
 After that, she would of course have to keep well 
 and happy, and above all, associate with other 
 girls." 
 
The Mystery Solved 
 
 193 
 
 "That's where we come in," Lois said quietly. 
 
 "Yes, Daddie says you can be the real doctors 
 if you will, but you mustn't let Maud know that 
 there is anything the matter." 
 
 "Oh, of course not, we'll just keep her so busy 
 having a good time that she won't have time for 
 the blues. That's the way we treat the homesick 
 girls at school." 
 
 Polly's eyes sparkled at the prospect. She 
 loved "taking people in hand, ' ' making them either 
 glad or sorry. It appealed to her sense of power 
 and leadership, inherited probably from Aunt 
 Hannah. 
 
 Lois accepted the charge through pure kindness 
 of heart. She knew she would not enjoy it, Maud 
 was thoroughly uninteresting, but she was sorry 
 for her and when Lois' pity was touched, there 
 was no limit to her charity. 
 
 Of the two she deserved the more credit for 
 what followed, but it was Polly, with her way of 
 sweeping obstacles before her that got it. 
 
 Bob broke in upon the discussion at this part; 
 he was hot and tired, but what was worse, he had 
 caught no fish. 
 
 "Uncle Cy says the wind's wrong. I don't be- 
 lieve it. What possible power has the wind over 
 fish?" he growled, throwing himself into a chair, 
 while his mother poured out a glass of lemonade 
 for him. 
 
194 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Polly was silent for a minute, then she gave a 
 sharp little nod of her head, a habit she had when 
 she wanted to dismiss one subject to give her at- 
 tention to another. 
 
 "I suppose,' ' she said mischievously, "that you 
 blame it on the fishes' whims.' ' 
 
 6 i Have fishes whims, I wonder," Lois asked so 
 dreamily, that they all laughed. 
 
 "Of course, or they would have swallowed Bob- 
 bie 's hook, and then he would be nice and cheerful, 
 instead of dreadfully cross." Polly looked imp- 
 ishly out of the corner of her eye, an exagger- 
 ated concern in the lowered tones of her voice. 
 
 "Poll, some day I'm going to box your ears." 
 
 "Bob!" Mrs. Farwell was really horrified. 
 
 "Can't help it, Mother, she deserves it. I don't 
 know what's come over her lately, she's been an 
 abominable little tease ever since she got back 
 from camp." 
 
 "She thinks she's talking to Vert," Lois ex- 
 plained. "That's the way they'd go at it all day 
 long." 
 
 "Well, please remember I'm not Vert, and be- 
 have like Polly Pendleton. What do you say to a 
 set of tennis before dinner?" Bob asked. 
 
 "I say it's too hot," Mrs. Farwell said de- 
 cidedly. 6 1 You '11 all have heat prostration. Can 't 
 you think of something less strenuous to do?" 
 
The Mystery Solved 195 
 
 " Let's plan how we can pull Maud out of her- 
 self, " Lois suggested. "You know all about her, 
 don't you, Bob?" 
 
 "The kid next door? Yes, I talked to her one 
 day over the fence. I had the dogs with me ; she's 
 crazy about Sandy. You'll have to be awfully 
 decent to her when she comes back. ' ' 
 
 "That sounds easy; but she probably won't 
 want to look at us. She 's sure to remember that 
 she wept quarts every time we came in sight." 
 Lois was pessimistic. 
 
 "Let's give a party of some sort, ask everybody 
 from the village to come, she won't feel half as 
 shy in a crowd," Polly suggested. "And besides, 
 I ought to entertain once before we go, to return 
 the lawn party Mrs. Hopper gave." 
 
 "That's not a bad idea, Polly," Mrs. Farwell 
 remarked. "If Maud is going to live here, noth- 
 ing could be better than having her meet some of 
 the people." 
 
 "What kind of a party?" Lois asked. "Let's 
 have it different from most of them. I'm tired 
 of tea on lawns, and tennis." 
 
 "Oh, I'm not, I thought we'd have one just like 
 the Hoppers', so Ruth and Anita could play 
 tennis with Bob again, he'd love that." Polly 
 expected a quick denial. But instead, Bob said 
 slowly : 
 
196 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "That wouldn't be so bad, I've been down to 
 see them quite often since you've been away. 
 Nita asked me to teach her how to play and you 've 
 no idea how well she 's getting on. ' ' 
 
 Polly whistled. 
 
 "Oh, let's have it original," Lois begged; "you 
 suggest something, Mother." 
 ' ' How about a picnic ? ' ' 
 "Where?" 
 
 "At Needle's Point, we went over there in the 
 boat last week, it's an ideal spot." 
 
 "But we couldn't get very many in the Tiddle- 
 dewinks," Lois objected. 
 
 "Some of us could ride," Polly put in; "it's a 
 lovely ride over." 
 
 "Why not have it a supper picnic, instead of 
 a luncheon ! ' ' Bob said. ' ' There '11 be a moon next 
 week, and some of us could go in the boat, and the 
 rest in carriages." 
 
 < < Why not have a straw ride ? That 's it!" Polly 
 exclaimed excitedly. "The ones who go in the 
 boat can come home in the wagon, and the other 
 way round." 
 
 "Great ! That ought to be fun. Now who's to 
 go?" Bob's interest was aroused, Polly noticed 
 it and answered rather flatly : 
 
 "Oh, everybody, everybody and Maud." 
 
 "When will we have it? What will we have to 
 eat? And what will we do when we get there?" 
 
The Mystery Solved 
 
 197 
 
 Lois was off on the thing she really loved, plan- 
 ning. "How far is Needle's Point, Polly ?" 
 
 "It depends ; there's the shore road, that's quite 
 a ways, and then, there's the short cut. The long 
 road takes about two hours to drive to, but going 
 by the short cut doesn't take half as long." 
 
 "Let's drive there to-night and look it over," 
 Lois suggested. "May we, Mother?" 
 
 "Yes, dear, if you start early and get back be- 
 fore dark." 
 
 "You come too, Aunt Kate, it will be a wonder- 
 ful night for a drive," Polly begged. "We'll all 
 get cooled off." 
 
 "Come on up to the house, and let's get Sarah 
 to hustle dinner, I'm starved anyway," Bob said, 
 suiting the action to the words. 
 
 "I'll go tell Tim to hitch up Banker and bring 
 him round at seven. We ought to be through by 
 then." Polly started tovrards the stable, while 
 the others kept on to the house. 
 
 "Wait a shake, and I'll come with you," Bob 
 called. "I haven't seen Jack and Jill ail day." 
 
 "All right, come on," Polly's tone was indiffer- 
 ent, but the pucker between her eyes had myste- 
 riously disappeared. 
 
 They found Needle Point on close inspection to 
 be an ideal picnic ground. The land ran out in 
 a long sharp point into the sound, which insured 
 its being cool. There was a grove of pines on the 
 
198 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 end and the ground was carpeted with slippery 
 brown needles. 
 
 * ' It's perfect," Lois announced, "just as it is, 
 but it would be a fairy garden if we could string 
 dozens of Japanese lanterns around." 
 
 "I'll write Uncle Eoddy and ask him to send 
 some up from the city," Polly said. "Lois, we'll 
 leave the decorations to you. You always made 
 a hit with them at school. Eemember the tent you 
 rigged up for the Seniors?" 
 
 "Yes, Poll! No, I won't tell, but I've got an 
 idea, such an idea. I'll show it to you." 
 
 "If you're giving this out to committees," 
 laughed Mrs. Farwell, "let me take charge of the 
 supper. I'll talk to Sarah and between us we'll 
 plan it all." 
 
 "What will I do?" Polly asked. 
 
 "You make out a list of the guests, you know 
 them all, and we don't. I'll help you all I can," 
 Mrs Farwell suggested. "And Bob will have to 
 plan the amusements. That will give you some- 
 thing to think about, and now we must go home." 
 
 None of them had much to say on the return trip, 
 they were all so busy planning for their part of the 
 arrangements. 
 
 As they drove up to the carriage block, Lois said 
 solemnly : 
 
 "It will never be a success." 
 
 "Well, why not?" Bob demanded. 
 
The Mystery Solved 199 
 
 " Because Bet isn't here, and no party ever 
 'goes' without Bet." 
 
 ' ' Then," laughed Mrs. Farwell, an arm around 
 each of the girls as they walked up the piazza 
 steps, "for pity's sake get Bet; write her and tell 
 her she must come." 
 
 Polly laughed with the rest. In her own mind 
 she had doubts about the success of the party too, 
 but Betty did not figure in them. 
 
 She stood in front of the glass for a long time 
 that night. The reflection of her heavy hair tied 
 low in her neck with a perky bow caused her face 
 to pucker into a frown, and the sight of her short 
 skirts, they reached just a little below her knees, 
 brought a pout of disgust to her usually smiling 
 lips. She had reached a turning point. For the 
 first time in her life she wanted to be grown up. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 POLLY ENTERTAINS 
 
 "The mysterious child is coming home to- 
 night/ ' Polly announced, as she entered the dining- 
 room at luncheon time on Monday. She was late, 
 and the rest were already seated at the table. 
 They looked up in surprise. 
 
 "Who told you?" Lois demanded. 
 
 "Nora. I've been chinning with her over the 
 back fence. She says Maud's much better and 
 wants to be with her mother all the time now." 
 
 "Oh, I am so glad," Mrs. Farwell exclaimed. 
 She understood better than the others what this 
 would mean to Mrs. Banks. "What else did Nora 
 say, Polly?" 
 
 "Not much, she's busy opening the house. 
 They're coming home about six o'clock." 
 
 * 6 1 think it would be nice if you took some flow- 
 ers over. We have any quantity of nasturtiums 
 and sweet peas." 
 
 "That's a good idea, Mother. Bob, you have to 
 help, because — " Lois stopped. 
 
 "Because what?" Bob asked. 
 
 "Because I have a favor to ask of you, that will 
 
 200 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 201 
 
 take some time. I'll tell you later, it's a secret." 
 
 After luncheon they went out to find Tim and de- 
 mand flowers. 
 
 "We want lots of them, Tim, armfulls," Polly 
 teased; "the very nicest you can give us." 
 
 Tim looked rueful, the garden was his special 
 spot and he could never see the sense in taking the 
 flowers from their proper place to stick them in 
 glass vases, to wilt in stuffy rooms, but Polly's 
 slightest wish was law. 
 
 "Help yourselves," he said, without enthusiasm. 
 "I'll fetch you the basket and the shears." 
 
 For an hour they clipped and picked nastur- 
 tiums, sweet peas, poppies, some late roses — the 
 very best of the Pendleton gardens. 
 
 They carried the basket over to the Kent place, 
 and Nora let them arrange them to suit them- 
 selves. 
 
 "Sweet peas and roses for the beautiful lady," 
 Polly said on the threshold of Mrs. Banks' bed- 
 room, and they filled a big china bowl for her bed 
 table. 
 
 When they left, the "haunted house" was a 
 bower, and to Maud and her mother on their re- 
 turn, those flowers were a far more adequate wel- 
 come than any words would have been. 
 
 "May I drive Bob to Needle Point, Poll?" Lois 
 asked, as they walked back up the hill. 
 
 "Of course, but I think you might tell me the 
 
202 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 giddy secret." Polly tried hard to look abused. 
 
 "I won't, it's a secret. I don't want to tell 
 him but I'm afraid to do it by myself," Lois 
 said. 
 
 " Cheer up, Poll," Bob called, as they started 
 off a little later. ' ' I '11 tell you all about it to-night. 
 Where are we bound for?" he added, as Lois 
 turned Banker's head in the direction of the vil- 
 lage. 
 
 " Never mind, you'll soon — Oh! Bob, I'm 
 scared." Lois dropped her air of mystery. "I 
 have an idea, and I know it's a good one, but I 
 don't know just exactly how to carry it out." 
 
 " Let's hear it." 
 
 6 i It was Poll that made me think of it when she 
 reminded me of the tent I made up at school. ' ' 
 "Go on." 
 
 "Well it just popped into my head that there 
 was a camp of gypsies beyond the village a little 
 way. We passed them the other day and — " 
 Lois paused and waited for some sign of encour- 
 agement or disapproval from Bob. Like most 
 people who think up wild schemes she wanted as- 
 surance. She got it. 
 
 "You mean get a real gypsy to come and tell 
 fortunes?" Bob exclaimed, slapping her affection- 
 ately on the back. ' 1 Lo, that 's an idea worthy of a 
 genius." 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 203 
 
 "Do you think they'd like it? Perhaps they 
 might think it was wrong to have fortunes told." 
 
 " Nonsense, of course they'll like it, nobody be- 
 lieves in the silly rot they tell you anyway. It's 
 original and they're sure to like it." 
 
 "But how will we get hold of one? I'm scared 
 to death of them, they all look so bloodthirsty," 
 Lois complained. 
 
 "I'll do it, I'll find the chief or king or what- 
 ever they call the boss, and tell him what 
 we want," Bob assured her. "You stay in the 
 cart." 
 
 They were in sight of the camp by now, a clus- 
 ter of tents and two or three gypsy caravans, a 
 string of lean and half starved horses grazed to- 
 gether on the burned stubble. Here and there, 
 charred spots on the ground showed black under 
 the tripods that held the big iron cooking pots. A 
 group of men were smoking and talking off to one 
 side, while all over the rest of the clearing, it 
 seemed to Bob and Lois, there were women and 
 children, any number of them. The women, for 
 the most part, were gaudily dressed, and fat. 
 They lolled about in slovenly heaps, while the chil- 
 dren squalled and played around them, looking 
 very brown and scrawny in comparison. 
 
 Bob approached the men, touched his cap, and 
 in a few words explained what he wanted. They 
 
204 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 listened attentively, but with a condescension that 
 was almost insolent, and when he had finished, 
 one of the men, without a word, led him over to 
 the group of women, singled out a big, sleepy 
 looking creature and then asked abruptly: 
 "She do?" 
 
 "lS T o," Bob said, equally abrupt. "She's too 
 fat." He rather expected to be knifed at once, 
 and was agreeably surprised when the woman 
 laughed good naturedly and jangled her bangles. 
 
 "She tell good fortunes," said the man indif- 
 ferently, as he beckoned to another one. This 
 time it was a pretty girl, dark eyed and slender. 
 Bob decided she fitted in with his idea of a gypsy 
 and struck a bargain with the man. 
 
 "She can't tell fortunes good," he said; "she's 
 too young." 
 
 "I don't care, let her say any old thing, no- 
 body's going to believe her, and be sure she's on 
 time. Six o'clock, Saturday night, at Needle 
 Point." This was the date set for the picnic. 
 
 The man gave a grunt of assent. i ' I bring her, ' 1 
 he growled, and added under his breath, "fool." 
 
 Bob laughed and returned to Lois. 
 
 "That's the one, is she all right?" he asked, 
 pointing to the girl he had just left. 
 
 "She's beautiful," Lois replied. "Oh, Bob, 
 how I'd love to paint her. I bet I could, too. 
 Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could transplant 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 205 
 
 the whole camp. I never saw anything more 
 fascinating. ' ' 
 
 "The whole camp! No, thanks, they're too 
 dirty for me. Ugh ! I was afraid to take a deep 
 breath." Bob looked back as they turned the 
 corner, but his glance held none of the regret so 
 evident in Lois What was picturesque and beau- 
 tiful to her, was only dirt to him. But then, Lois 
 had the power to see a picture, which is the first 
 sign of an artist. 
 
 The rest of the week sped past on wings of an- 
 ticipation. Betty arrived, much to everybody's 
 delight. Apart from a "hello I" whenever they 
 passed the Kent place, the girls did not take any 
 notice of Maud. 
 
 Ever since the invitations for the picnic had been 
 sent the answers had been pouring in, and by Fri- 
 day morning there were thirty acceptances. 
 
 "I'm getting scared," Polly said, as she tore 
 open the envelopes Bob had just brought from the 
 post office. "What are we going to do with them 
 all?" 
 
 "Don't do anything," Betty said lazily. They 
 were on the terrace and she was curled up in a big 
 chair. "I read the other day, that the perfect 
 hostess leaves her guests alone, so that each one 
 may exercise his own individuality in amusing 
 himself." 
 
 " 'Good sentence, and well pronounced, 
 
206 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Betty/ " Bob laughed. "By the way, how are we 
 going over there. Who is going in the boat, and 
 who in the wagon ?" 
 
 6 i Oh, let's let the older people go over in the 
 wagon, so we can come back in it," Lois suggested. 
 "There's a moon and it ought to be fun riding 
 home and singing." 
 
 They finally settled on that arrangement, and 
 Saturday about five o 'clock, a merry party waited 
 on the Pendleton lawn. 
 
 "Where's Bob?" Mrs. Farwell called, as the 
 older people were getting into the wagon, among 
 much bustle and confusion. Miss Hemingway was 
 there, of course, and she directed a steady stream 
 of conversation at Uncle Roddy. She had cap- 
 tured him early in the afternoon, and when they 
 arrived at Needle Point, she was still talking. 
 
 "Bob's going to meet us at the dock," Lois an- 
 swered her mother's question, "he went down in 
 the cart to get Euth and Anita." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell looked surprised and a little an- 
 noyed. 
 
 "Then every one is accounted for," she said, 
 "so we had better start." 
 
 "Don't fall overboard, Betty," Dr. Farwell 
 called, as they started. 
 
 The younger members of the party started off 
 down the hill. They were of every age. Polly 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 207 
 
 had invited the entire countryside. Girls and 
 boys she had played with years before in the days 
 of Aunt Hannah, some of them she had not seen 
 since she was a little girl. 
 
 The first part of the trip she was busy intro- 
 ducing her guests. Lois and Betty were the great- 
 est of helps. 
 
 Most of the girls and boys were much older 
 than the three, and it was hard just at first to get 
 acquainted, but they decided it was like a big 
 school party with the boys added on, and before 
 they reached the Point, Betty had everybody in 
 peals of laughter, as usual. 
 
 Lois and Polly had taken charge of Maud from 
 the minute she and her mother had arrived. They 
 found her changed, a little less timid, quite willing 
 to make friends and pathetically eager to laugh. 
 
 The trip up the bay was a jolly one. The boat 
 reached the Point before the wagon and there 
 was a gasp of surprise as the party caught the 
 first glimpse. Dozens of gay Japanese lanterns 
 swung from the trees, a canvas had been stretched 
 for dancing, tables and chairs were scattered about 
 in inviting little groups, and off in a clump of trees 
 a tent was pitched in true gypsy fashion. The 
 slim, little maiden of Bob 's choice sat in the door- 
 way. She was dressed in a very gay skirt and 
 bodice, her arms and neck almost hidden by in- 
 
208 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 numerable bangles. The Needle Point seemed 
 transformed into a fairy dell, though the laughing 
 crowd that took possession of it could hardly be 
 called fairies. 
 
 The wagon arrived soon after and the older 
 people made themselves comfortable in the big 
 birch bark chairs. Polly and Lois, with Maud be- 
 tween them went over to help with the supper. 
 Betty wandered off with a couple of boys to start 
 up the music, and Bob danced a perpetual attend- 
 ance on Kuth and Anita. 
 
 "I think the gypsy is the best of all," Polly said. 
 "Lo, how did you ever think of it, and how did you 
 ever get hold of one f ' ' 
 
 "Bob did it for me," Lois explained, "the day 
 we went out in the pony cart." 
 
 i 1 Let 's have our fortunes told. Gome on, Maud. 
 After supper we won't have a chance." Polly 
 linked her arm in the younger girl's and started 
 for the tent. 
 
 "Oh, I'd rather not," Maud said, more from 
 habit than from any other reason. 
 
 "Nonsense, come on, I'm, dying to know what's 
 going to happen to me," Lois insisted. 
 
 The gypsy smiled as the^ approached, and gave 
 them all a long sing song chant. A mixture of 
 happiness and tragedy, jumbled together, and 
 evidently learned from her more experienced sis- 
 ters. 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 209 
 
 Maud listened attentively to hers, and seemed 
 to take it quite seriously. 
 
 "I wonder what she meant by a great change ?" 
 she asked, as they left the tent. 
 
 "Nothing, probably,' ' Lois laughed; "she just 
 tells that to everybody; same as ' you will cross a 
 large body of water/ or 'receive a message before 
 evening,' and the rest." 
 
 "Maybe it means you are going away," Polly 
 suggested. 
 
 "But I'm not, I'm going to stay here all win- 
 ter," Maud insisted, serious as ever. 
 
 "Are you going to school up here?" Lois asked 
 idly. 
 
 "I suppose so." 
 
 "Why don't you go to a boarding school!" 
 Polly asked; "you'd love it." 
 
 "Oh, I couldn't." It was the eternal answer. 
 Poor Maud, she had been afraid so long that she 
 could not welcome any new suggestion. 
 
 "But why not?" Polly persisted. 
 
 "I don't know, but I just couldn't." Lois saw 
 the corners of her mouth tremble and changed the 
 subject abruptly. 
 
 "Come on over and watch them dance," she 
 said. 
 
 Polly took the hint, but made a mental note that 
 she would get Maud used to the idea before the 
 summer was over. 
 
210 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 Towards the end of the evening, Mrs. Farwell 
 had pity on the girls and called Maud over to her 
 and amused her for the rest of the time. 
 
 After the supper — and it was a wonderful sup- 
 per, perfect in every detail, from the jellied meats 
 to the ices. Everybody danced and played games. 
 Polly and Lois, relieved of their charge, had time 
 to talk with some of the others, and Polly at once 
 looked about expectantly for Bob. She found him. 
 He was sitting between Ruth and Anita. They 
 were feeding him an ice and Anita was talking 
 baby talk. She turned away disgusted, surprised, 
 but most of all hurt. Just then, a boy she had al- 
 most forgotten claimed her for a dance and for the 
 rest of the merry evening she forgot Bob. 
 
 The wagon was ordered for nine o'clock, but it 
 was long after ten before the party broke up. 
 All the guests insisted that it had been the greatest 
 party ever given in the little village. And the 
 hostesses went to bed after the jolly drive home, 
 tired and sleepy, but with the comforting knowl- 
 edge that it would be the topic of conversation at 
 sewing parties and teas for many days. 
 
 "The girls were awfully good to Maud. They 
 took her with them every minute, and I do think 
 she had a good time," Mrs. Farwell said to the 
 doctor after everybody had gone to bed. 
 
 "Yes, they were, and I don't believe they en- 
 joyed it much, either,' ' Dr. Farwell replied. 
 
Polly Entertains 
 
 211 
 
 1 ' Maud isn't too exciting. Still I think your party 
 was a great success; everybody, young and old, 
 had a good time, and what a hit the gypsy made." 
 The doctor smiled reminiscently, he was very 
 proud to think that the clever idea had originated 
 in Lois' head. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell looked thoughtfully out of the win- 
 dow. "No, they didn't all have a good time," 
 she said, and then added, with more spirit than 
 she was wont to show: "I could box Bobbie's 
 ears." 
 
CHAPTEE XVI 
 
 OFF FOR BOSTON" 
 
 "Come on down," Polly called from the barn 
 door, up to Lois, who was in the hay loft spending 
 a rainy morning reading her beloved "Kim" by 
 Kudyard Kipling. 
 
 "Why don't yon come up?" she called back, 
 "it's awfully comfy." 
 
 "All right, here I come," Polly answered, and 
 in a minute her head appeared above the grain 
 shaft. "What are you doing?" 
 
 i 6 ' Beading, learning and acquiring merit, oh, lit- 
 tle friend of all the world,' " Lois answered in the 
 words of the book; "what news do you bring?" 
 
 Polly made a deep salaam, falling into her part at 
 once. "News of the utmost importance, Heaven 
 born, ' ' she replied ;" in less than a week we go upon 
 the road, mayhap we will find the river of our search, 
 for it is decreed that we go as far as Boston." 
 
 "Boston! honest?" Lois promptly forgot her 
 role of dignified lama, in her curiosity. "Who 
 said so?" she demanded. 
 
 It was a week since the picnic. Betty had gone 
 
 home. During the time, Lois and Polly had taken 
 
 up the "bringing out of Maud" in earnest, spend- 
 
 212 
 
Off: for Boston 
 
 213 
 
 ing a good part of each day with her, teaching her 
 the ways of girlhood, and the joys of companion- 
 ship. It had been slow and discouraging work. 
 To-day it was pouring and they were taking a well 
 earned vacation. 
 
 "Uncle Eoddy, yonr father, Bob, Annt Kate, 
 everybody," Polly answered, settling herself in 
 the hay. "They think we need a change, so — " 
 
 "So what! Poll, you'd exasperate a saint. 
 Tell me!" Lois fairly yelled the command. 
 
 "So, we're going to Boston," Polly teased. 
 
 ' 6 When ? Are we all going ! Oh, Poll, tell me. ' ' 
 
 "The end of this week, you, Aunt Kate and I are 
 going in Uncle Roddy's car." 
 
 "With the chauffeur ?" 
 
 "Naturally, unless you will drive us." 
 
 "Poll, will you stop being irritating? If you 
 don't go on and really tell me all about it I'll 
 smother you in the hay. ' ' 
 
 ' 6 1 don 't know much. They 've just decided about 
 it up at the house. We're to start on Thursday." 
 
 ' 6 But to-day 's Monday ! ' ' 
 
 "I know it, isn't it sudden?" 
 
 "What's Bob going to do?" 
 
 "Visit, I think," Polly said it indifferently. 
 There had been a change in her attitude towards 
 Bob ever since the party. 
 
 ""What are we going to do in Boston?" The 
 queries began again. 
 
214 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 ' ' See it, ' ' Polly told her. ' ' Then we 're going to 
 Concord and Lexington and on np to Salem and 
 Plymouth." 
 
 "For goodness' sake! How long are we to be 
 gone?" 
 
 "Two weeks." 
 
 "Great Scott ! Poll, why, when we come back — " 
 Lois looked aghast as she realized how time had 
 been flying by unnoticed. 
 
 Polly understood. ' ' I know if, ' ' she said. ' i The 
 summer is almost over. Your father and Uncle 
 Roddy have sent in our applications to school." 
 
 "Let's go find mother and the rest and see what 
 they are talking about. ' ' Lois picked up her book 
 and started down the ladder. "You aren't a bit 
 satisfactory." 
 
 "I like that, I just heard the first of the plan, 
 rushed up here to tell you, and this is the thanks 
 I get." Polly shook her head mournfully and 
 followed down the ladder. 
 
 They found the family in the living room, still 
 discussing the plans. 
 
 "I wish I could go with you," Uncle Roddy said, 
 pulling Polly down on his knee. "I am very fond 
 of that part of the country, it 's so quaint. ' ' 
 
 "You'll know so much about history when you 
 get back to school they won't know you," Dr. Far- 
 well laughed. ■ 1 Lois, some of your ancestors were 
 minute men and fought all over that ground." 
 
Off: for Boston 
 
 215 
 
 "I wonder if any of mine did?" Polly asked, 
 looking at Uncle Eoddy for an answer. 
 
 "Yes, I think there was a colonel or somebody — 
 your Aunt Hannah knew all about him — who 
 fought in the battle of Lexington," he added with 
 a chuckle, "and got licked." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell looked surprised. "What do you 
 mean, Roddy'?" she asked. 
 
 It was Polly who explained. "Our ancestors 
 were granted land by Queen Elizabeth, and so, of 
 course, during the Revolution they remained true 
 to the crown and fought on the British side," she 
 recited, remembering Aunt Hannah's words. 
 "And as Uncle Roddy says, we got licked, but not 
 without a brave struggle." 
 
 "Perhaps it was our ancestor who killed yours," 
 Bob spoke for the first time. He was sitting in the 
 bay window, reading. 
 
 "Perhaps, but I'll bet he got killed doing it," 
 Polly flared back. In her secret heart, she was 
 rather proud that her ancestors had been true to 
 the old country. It would have been very ungrate- 
 ful of them if they hadn't. 
 
 "I don't doubt it," Bob said dryly, and retired 
 again into the bay window. 
 
 The discussion changed to the more practical 
 arrangement of the trip, and Polly subsided. 
 
 Tuesday and Wednesday were busy days. 
 There was room only for one small trunk on the 
 
216 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 back of the car, and the clothes that wouldn't go 
 in that had to be packed in suitcases., Lois se- 
 lected and discarded six dresses to travel in before 
 finally deciding to follow Polly's example and 
 wear a sailor suit. 
 
 They left at eight o'clock Thursday morning. 
 Bob was going as far as New Haven with them. 
 As they passed the Kent place, they saw Maud at 
 the gate, and waved and shouted good-by until 
 they were out of sight. 
 
 "I wonder what shell do to amuse herself while 
 we're gone," Lois said. She was sitting in the 
 back of the car with her mother and Bob. Polly 
 was on the front seat with Henry. 
 
 "Miss you, I hope," Mrs. Farwell said. "Daddie 
 seemed to think that would do her worlds of good. ' ' 
 
 They lapsed into silence. There was little sign 
 of life on the road so early, and the car seemed to 
 eat up the peaceful miles. 
 
 "How long are you going to stay with Dick, 
 Bobbie!" Lois asked, as they neared New Haven. 
 "I wish you were going with us." 
 
 "So do I," Bob answered, but with little con- 
 viction in his voice. "Cheer up, I may see you 
 before you think," he added, with a sidelong glance 
 at his mother. He left them later at the New 
 Haven Green, and they continued on their way. 
 
 The road went through beautiful country, past 
 neat, little white farm houses set in the midst of 
 
Off for Boston 
 
 217 
 
 tobacco fields. They stopped for a little while in 
 Cheshire, looking at the quaint houses, and much 
 to Polly's joy and Lois' horror, wandered through 
 the old graveyard, reading the inscriptions on 
 the tombstones. 
 
 "Look at this one,"' Polly exclaimed. She was 
 leaning over a marble slab in a remote corner of 
 the yard. "It says, ' Sacred to the memory of 
 Bilious Brooks.' It does. Oh, Aunt Kate, come 
 here and look." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell laughed heartily. "Do you sup- 
 pose that could have been his name ? ' ' she asked. 
 
 Lois was disgusted. "That's the end: I'm go- 
 ing back to the car. Come on. I declare, people 
 must have been crazy in those days," she said, 
 holding open the gate. 
 
 "Don't speak disrespectfully of your ances- 
 tors," Polly teased. "Jemima! I'm glad mine 
 were buried back in England about that time." 
 
 They reached Hartford in time for luncheon, 
 looked at the outside of the public buildings, and 
 decided to go on without more sightseeing. It 
 was after five before they reached Boston. They 
 had passed through countless little towns, all green 
 and white, and they were tired and dusty. The 
 big broad Commons looked cool and stately and 
 it was with regret that they passed it to wind in 
 and out of tiny little streets until they reached 
 the hotel Uncle Eoddy had selected for them. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE SURPRISE IN THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES 
 
 The next morning they were out bright and 
 early, and, armed with a guide book, went straight 
 for Paul Revere 's house. 
 
 6 ' It's adorable,' 9 Polly exclaimed, as the car 
 threaded its way up the narrow street and stopped 
 before the quaint little house, with its leaded win- 
 dows and its big massive door. The custodian 
 ushered them in and took them up the narrow 
 stairs. She told them something of the life of 
 Paul Revere, his apparent success at many differ- 
 ent trades, his distinction as a man of letters. 
 ' i And he had sixteen children, ' ' she finished, stop- 
 ping in one room, in front of the old fireplace. 
 
 " Sixteen children !" Lois gasped. "Did they 
 live here in this house ? "Where did they sleep % 1 9 
 
 The custodian was unable to say, she knew he 
 had sixteen children, but the extent of her knowl- 
 edge did not extend to their sleeping accommoda- 
 tions. 
 
 "They must have had trundle beds," Mrs. Far- 
 well suggested. She was amused at the girls 9 con- 
 
 218 
 
The Surprise 
 
 219 
 
 cern. "One under this bed," she pointed to the 
 beautiful four poster; "and one in the other 
 room." 
 
 "Even at that, they would had to have slept in 
 piles," Lois protested laughingly. 
 
 "Or taken turns," Polly suggested. "Look at 
 this old woven spread." 
 
 "I have been, it's quite wonderful," Mrs. Far- 
 well looked at the old quilt, almost with reverence. 
 4 1 Think of the eyes that made it. ' ' 
 
 "Aunt Hannah used to have one like it; she 
 gave it to some exhibit, I've forgotten where," 
 Polly said. 
 
 They wandered about the two rooms, looking at, 
 and admiring the queer old things. Downstairs, 
 the custodian showed them the lantern used in 
 the famous ride. They looked up the high chim- 
 ney, because she told them to, and saw a patch of 
 blue sky. Just before they left, they registered 
 in the guest book. 
 
 "Where will we say we're from?" Lois asked. 
 "I'm going to put Honolulu for my address. 
 Here, Poll." 
 
 Polly took the pen offered her and looked dream- 
 ily at the page, she was trying to think how to 
 spell Afghanistan. She was not conscious of 
 really reading the names before her. Suddenly 
 she gave a start, 
 
 "Look, Lois! Angela Hollywood and Con- 
 
220 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 stance Wentworth, and they were here yester- 
 day ! ' ? she exclaimed. 
 
 Lois and her mother came over to her side and 
 read the names for themselves. 
 
 "Where do you suppose they are?" Lois de- 
 manded. 
 
 "Here in Boston, of course. If we could only 
 find them. ' ' 
 
 "I'm afraid it's hopeless, unless you know where 
 they are stopping. Perhaps we will meet them by 
 chance during our sightseeing," Mrs. Farwell said, 
 and they had to be content with that. But though 
 they stayed in Boston for four days they never 
 saw a sign of them. 
 
 On Saturday they took a sightseeing bus to 
 Lexington and Concord, but they got so tired of 
 having the guard stop every few feet to say, "On 
 this spot three British were captured after a strug- 
 gle with the Minute Men, ' ' that they decided to get 
 out and explore for themselves. Polly took the 
 lead. 
 
 "Another brass tablet, Lo," she exclaimed; 
 "look, only two British captured this time. Well, 
 it took a whole company of your ancestors to do 
 it, ? ' she laughed. 
 
 < < Well, I like that, ' 9 Lois denied hotly. 1 < There 
 were only two captured probably because your 
 forefathers were learning how to run." 
 
 "Children, children, stop fighting the Kevol-u- 
 
The Surprise 
 
 221 
 
 tion over again, and look at this lovely big tree," 
 Mrs. Farwell commanded. 
 
 They looked and saw a tiny red house almost 
 entirely hidden by an immense tree in the front 
 yard. 
 
 1 ' I wonder who lives there ! ' ' Lois asked. 
 
 "I don't know, but if you're very quiet and look 
 really hard you may see Meg and Amy walk out 
 of the front door." Mrs. Farwell 's voice had a 
 mysterious note. 
 
 "Mother, is this Louise Alcott's house?" Lois 
 asked eagerly. 
 
 "Yes, and it was under that tree that she wrote 
 'Little Women.' " 
 
 They stood and looked. Their attitude bespoke 
 a sincerest reverence for the home of the greatest 
 friend of all girls. 
 
 A little later they sauntered down the broad 
 street and stopped at Hawthorne House. They 
 found it full of treasures. Both girls had read 
 his "Twice Told Tales" at school, and although 
 they were never more than mildly interested in 
 them, they found it exciting to be in the room and 
 to sit in the very chair in which they were written. 
 They lingered so long over the many interesting 
 relics that they found they had not time to get back 
 to Boston for dinner. 
 
 "And I'm starved, too," Lois wailed, when her 
 mother figured out that they could not reach the 
 
222 
 
 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 hotel until eight o'clock. "We simply must eat 
 now, Mother, darling, unless you want to take a 
 corpse back to town." 
 
 "Gracious! I'm sure I don't want to do that 
 What about you, Polly?" Mrs. Farwell asked. 
 
 "I'm famished, don't you suppose we could find 
 a place to eat here V 9 Polly looked so woeful that 
 Mrs. Farwell laughed. 
 
 "It sounds as if we'd have to," she said. 
 
 They walked on down the street to one of Wash* 
 ington's numerous headquarters, which announced 
 in bold letters that it was now a tea room. 
 
 "Come along, let's try this." Mrs. Farwell 
 turned up the walk, but Lois had caught sight of 
 a sign across the road that appeared more in- 
 viting. 
 
 "No, come on over here, this is an inn, and 
 my appetite is more inn like than tea room like 
 just now," she said. They crossed over to it 
 and made their way through a room with a tiny 
 mahogany bar at one end, and reached the dining- 
 room. 
 
 While dinner was being cooked — they were the 
 only guests — Polly wandered about, looking at the 
 old prints on the wall. A framed notice caught 
 her attention. It stated that this inn had once 
 been the headquarters of the British during the 
 war. She drew Lois and Mrs. Farwell 's attention 
 to it. 
 
The Surprise 
 
 223 
 
 "My, but I'm glad you saw this sign, Lo," she 
 said, teasingly. "I feel now as if I were among 
 friends at last." 
 
 But Lois ' answer was cut short by the welcome 
 arrival of dinner. 
 
 The next morning they started for Salem. It 
 was a hot and dusty trip and they hoped to cover 
 it without mishap. They had hardly passed the 
 outskirts of Boston, however, when they heard an 
 ominous bang-sizz. 
 
 "Not a tire, Polly,' ' Mrs. Farwell called implor- 
 ingly from the back seat. 
 
 "Yes, Aunt Kate, it's a tire, and I guess it's the 
 whole thing, shoe and all," Polly answered, as the 
 car came to a stop. 
 
 Everybody got out, Mrs. Farwell sat down de- 
 jectedly on the stone wall, and the girls helped 
 Henry to change the tire. They were ready to 
 start in less than half an hour, and reached Salem 
 before noon without further mishap. After a 
 hasty luncheon at a cozy tea room, they went to 
 the house of the witches. 
 
 "Oh, there's a curiosity shop upstairs, let's 
 go up," Mrs. Farwell said, stopping at the foot 
 of the rickety staircase that led upstairs from the 
 dingy little room on the first floor. 
 
 Polly was deep in the guide book, trying to pic- 
 ture the tragedies that had gone on in this very 
 house, but Lois answered: 
 
224 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Mother, darling, well go up if you promise 
 not to stay up there all the afternoon. ' ' 
 
 It was not Mrs. Farwell, however, who had to 
 be torn away an hour later. The girls at the first 
 sight of the fascinating interior of the shop and 
 its charming custodian were only too willing to 
 stay. 
 
 "Look at this china, it's strawberry luster, a 
 whole set of it, just imagine !" Polly, who really 
 had a deep reverence for old things, gazed admir- 
 ingly. 
 
 "I'll take this old grandfather's clock, I love its 
 funny old moon face," Lois said. "Where do you 
 get hold of all these nice things ? ' ' she asked. Miss 
 Wright, who was the owner of the shop, smiled 
 reminiscently. 
 
 "At all sorts of places. I have a little car and 
 I drive around the country," she told them. 
 "Sometimes I have the funniest experiences. The 
 other day I went into a farm house, oh, miles away 
 in the country. I asked the old woman, who was 
 there alone, if I could have some water for my 
 car. I never let them think I am after old fur- 
 niture. She told me I could if I would go out in 
 the kitchen and get it. I went, and the first thing 
 I saw was a lyre table like this. ' ' She pointed to 
 a beautiful old table in one corner of the room, 
 "and," she paused to make the best of her point, 
 "it was painted bright red!" 
 
The Surprise 
 
 225 
 
 "Oh, no," Mrs. Farwell looked half shocked and 
 half amused. 
 
 "Yes, really, I admired it while I was pumping 
 the water, and before I left I had struck a bargain. 
 She said I might have that ' silly thing' if I would 
 send her a sensible one. The minute I got back 
 to town I bought her the plainest, ugliest deal 
 kitchen table I could find, and my jewel, disguised 
 in red paint, is now being done over." 
 
 "Tell us some more," Lois was enraptured. 
 She was already planning a curiosity shop of her 
 own. 
 
 But further adventures were cut short by a 
 peremptory knock. 
 
 Miss Wright hastened to open the door. 
 
 "I don't want anything to-day," she said, the 
 instant she saw the little man, in a brown derby, 
 that stood on the threshold carrying a big flat 
 package, tied with innumerable strings. 
 
 "But you don't know what I have ; you must at 
 least look," he insisted, edging in the door. 
 
 "I tell you I don't want anything." 
 
 "But just look, listen to me," the little man was 
 becoming voluble. ' ' I have here a very rare print, 
 it is over a hundred years old, a work of art. ' ' He 
 began to untie the strings. 6 1 The only one in ex- 
 istence, and think of it, over a hundred years old." 
 
 By this time the paper was off, and he exhibited 
 the picture. 
 
226 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Here it is, a family group of Abraham Lin- 
 coln.' ' 
 
 For a second, there was a dead silence, then, the 
 four onlookers burst into peals of laughter. Mrs. 
 Farwell was the first to recover. "And you say 
 it's a hundred years old I How interesting, I 
 might even say, how very remarkable. ' ' 
 
 The man saw something was wrong, he could 
 have argued against rebuffs, but laughter com- 
 pletely floored him. He departed in a state of 
 sulks, and left a convulsed party behind him in the 
 little shop. 
 
 "Oh, dear, oh, dear. We must be going," Mrs. 
 Farwell said at last, "if we are ever to see the 
 House of the Seven Gables." They left with 
 many regrets on both sides. 
 
 "Wasn't she sweet!" Polly exclaimed, when 
 they were in the car, and headed for the other part 
 of town. 
 
 "Yes, she was adorable. What fun she must 
 have in that shop." Lois looked back enviously 
 at the little house, crazy with age. 
 
 But regrets fled at the sight of the House of the 
 Seven Gables. They reveled in its quaint exterior. 
 They entered by the side door, eager with antici- 
 pation, and found themselves in Hepzibar's shop. 
 They stood still for a minute, then, a hearty laugh 
 from the next room made Polly and Lois turn 
 suddenly. 
 
The Surprise 227 
 
 "That's Ange," they both said at once, and 
 dashed off in search. 
 
 Before the fire in the kitchen, investigating the 
 big fireplace, they found her with Connie. They 
 rushed into each other's arms at sight, and such 
 a babble of gay and excited voices, the old house 
 had probably never heard. Connie 's aunt was with 
 them, and the girls finally recovered from the sur- 
 prise enough to make the necessary introductions. 
 
 "Was that your car out in front ?" Lois de- 
 manded. 
 
 "Yes, are you motoring too?" .Connie asked. 
 "Where are you going next?" 
 
 "Plymouth," Polly answered. 
 
 "So are we. Oh, we must go together, what a 
 lark!" 
 
 "We saw your names in the book at Paul Ke- 
 vere's house," Lois said. "Poll found them, and 
 we looked all over Boston for you." 
 
 "Yes, we paid our respects to Paul," Angela 
 said airily. "Didn't you love the old South 
 Church?" 
 
 "Yes. What have you been doing this sum- 
 mer? We visited Louise, and — " They were off 
 on a stream of news. Finally a guide took them 
 over the house, but it is doubtful if they heard 
 much that she said. The life of Seddon Hall, so 
 much more important in their eyes, claimed their 
 attention. Connie's aunt, Miss Wentworth, was 
 
228 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 only too delighted to continue the trip in com- 
 pany, so the girls decided to ride in Polly's car, 
 and Mrs. Far well and Miss Wentworth went in the 
 other. They stayed in Salem until the next day, 
 when they left for Plymouth. It was the j oiliest, 
 and in one car, at least, the noisiest of parties. 
 
 They separated in Boston four days later. 
 
 "Drat it," Polly said, as she and Lois stood de- 
 jectedly in the hotel lobby. "The trouble with 
 meeting people, is leaving them." 
 
 "Whatever that may mean," Lois answered. 
 "I think I understand though. Wasn't it queer, 
 our finding them, just happening to go to the 
 Seven Gables when they did!" 
 
 "We have the one hundred year old man to 
 thank for that at the curiosity shop. " Polly 
 laughed at the memory. 
 
 "I know, everything that happened that day 
 was leading up to that meeting," Lois said sol- 
 emnly; "even the tire's blowing out!" 
 
 Mrs. Farwell joined them at this point. She 
 had been telephoning to Dr. Farwell. 
 
 "We leave for home early to-morrow," she said, 
 smiling mysteriously; "so this afternoon we must 
 go over to Harvard, and see where Bob is to be 
 next winter." 
 
 "Can we get a guide to take us around?" Polly 
 asked. ' ' We won 't know what we 're looking at. ' ' 
 
 "Yes, there are some students who will show us 
 
The Surprise 
 
 229 
 
 through, they tell me," Mrs. Farwell answered 
 her. 
 
 "Handsome ones?" Lois inquired. "I won't 
 go unless they are handsome." 
 
 "Lois, don't be silly," her mother chided 
 quietly. 
 
 They drove over the bridge to Cambridge, and 
 straight up to the entrance of the college yard. 
 Almost before the car had stopped, a man jumped 
 on the running board, and they heard in the cool- 
 est possible voice : 
 
 "You don't mind being twenty minutes late, do 
 you?" 
 
 "Bob!" both girls exclaimed, "where did you 
 come from?" 
 
 "Oh, I just dropped round. I heard you were 
 coming, and I thought you might want to hire a 
 guide." 
 
 "You knew he'd be here, Aunt Kate," Polly ac- 
 cused. "That's who you were telephoning to." 
 
 Mrs. Farwell admitted that it was, and told 
 them how this particular surprise had been 
 planned before they left home. They all got out 
 of the car, and Bob, who had been in Cambridge 
 for a week, visiting one of his friends, who was 
 already in college, showed them around with all 
 the air of proprietorship. 
 
 They saw his rooms in one of the freshman 
 dormitories first. Mrs. Farwell insisted upon 
 
230 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 that. Then they went the rounds of all the build- 
 ings, even drove out to the stadium. They visited 
 the library and the chapel last, and as they walked 
 from one to the other under the big shady trees, 
 Lois exclaimed: 
 
 "Oh, I love this campus, it's so peaceful.' ' 
 
 Bob's brows contracted into a frown, and he 
 stood still in the path. 
 
 1 ' Lois, ' ' he said, very decidedly, ' ' that is some- 
 thing you must never say. This is not the campus, 
 it's the yard." 
 
 And Lois, who was innocent of any intention to 
 ofTend, felt nevertheless, decidedly small, as no 
 doubt countless sisters have felt before her. 
 
 "I'll remember, Bobbie," she promised humbly. 
 
 "The yard," Polly thought a minute, "I like 
 that, it's different." 
 
 On the way home, and Bob returned with them, 
 Mrs. Farwell asked: "Well, Lois, dear, were you 
 satisfied with your guide?" 
 
 "Oh, he was all right," Lois answered, turning 
 around in her place in the front seat. 
 
 Polly was sorting some postals. She looked up 
 suddenly. 
 
 "He certainly fitted the only requirement you 
 seemed to be looking for," she said, blushing a 
 little. 
 
 Lois and her mother both laughed, but Bob 
 never knew why. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THOUGHTS OF SCHOOL 
 
 '•'Poll, look what's come," Lois dashed out of 
 the post office flourishing two envelopes. 
 
 Polly was in the cart. She had just dropped 
 Bob at Anita's for a game of tennis. 
 
 "What are they?" she demanded, catching some 
 of Lois' excitement. 
 
 "Announcements from school, one for you and 
 one for me. This shows we 're giddy ' Sophs. ' An- 
 nouncements are always sent to your guardian 
 until after your freshman year, then they come 
 to you." 
 
 "I know, Louise told me that last year. She 
 said it was a trick of Mrs. Baird's to make you feel 
 grown up." Polly hurriedly tore open the en- 
 velope. 
 
 "Sept. twenty-seventh, and to-day's the first, 
 Polly, just think of it." Lois was evidently de- 
 lighted at the prospect of returning to school. 
 "Aren't you excited?" she demanded. 
 
 "Of course I am, I was just thinking," Polly 
 gave a long, happy sigh; "I'll be an old girl this 
 
 231 
 
232 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 year," she said dreamily. She was trying to re- 
 alize all that the word implied. 
 
 She would know everybody, for one thing, and 
 every place. The new girls would ask her ques- 
 tions, and she would be able to answer them. 
 What fun it would be. 
 
 Lois interrupted her dream, and there was a 
 note of regret in her voice. 
 
 "I'm crazy to get back," she said, doubtfully, 
 6 1 but I hate to think the summer is over ; it 's been 
 so short. Why we haven't done half the things 
 we planned to do. ' 9 
 
 "What, for instance?" Polly asked. 
 
 "Oh, I don't know, we never went back to Mrs. 
 Tomkins' to see her dairy." 
 
 "Let's do it to-day." 
 
 "I thought we were going over to see Maud?" 
 
 "Well, let's do both, or better still, let's take 
 Maud with us, then we can bring her home to 
 luncheon, and talk Seddon Hall some more." 
 
 "Poll, you'll never make her say yes. What's 
 the use of trying?" Lois said decidedly. 
 
 "Wait and see." 
 
 This conversation was in regard to Polly's latest 
 decision. Ever since the night of the picnic, the 
 idea that boarding school, and of course, by that 
 she meant Seddon Hall, was the only place for 
 Maud had been taking shape in her mind. She 
 was not in the least discouraged by Maud's utter 
 
Thoughts of School 233 
 
 lack of interest in it. She went about gaining Mrs. 
 Farwell's cooperation, and then Mrs. Banks'. 
 Both women agreed that nothing could be better 
 for Maud, but how to make her take such a decided 
 step, without using force, was beyond them. 
 Polly, however, was undaunted. She painted the 
 joys of boarding school life whenever she saw 
 her, and in the gentlest way made Maud see her- 
 self in all the pictures. There was one hopeful 
 sign. While the girls had been away, Maud had 
 missed them, so much in fact, that she had dis- 
 covered for herself a small boy, the son of a near- 
 by farmer, and had played with him whenever 
 she got the chance. On their way home they 
 stopped at the Kent Place, tied Banker and went 
 up the front path. 
 
 "Oh, Maud," Lois called, "where are you?" 
 
 Maud appeared from around the corner. 
 
 "Hello," she said, "have you come over to stay 
 for awhile?" 
 
 "No," Polly laughed, "just for a second," and 
 as Maud's face fell, she added hastily: "We've 
 come to take you for a drive." 
 
 "We're going to go through Mrs. Tomkins' 
 dairy, and we thought you might like to go along, ' ' 
 Lois explained. 
 
 Both girls waited for the customary "Oh, I 
 couldn't," and were greatly surprised when Maud 
 said quietly; "Oh, I'd like to," instead. 
 
234 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 i 6 Well, tell your mother,' ' Polly said, and as 
 Maud went into the house, she added: * 4 Tell her 
 you are going to stay to luncheon with us." 
 
 "When they were in the cart and on their way 
 down to the Tomkins', Polly thought it was time 
 to begin her attack once more. She picked up one 
 of the School announcements. 
 
 "Lo and I haven't much more time up here," 
 she said, tossing it into Maud's lap. 
 
 Maud read it. "Do you really want to go 
 back ? ' ' she asked wonderingly. 
 
 "Of course we do, we're crazy to," Lois replied 
 impatiently. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Why, because we want to see all the girls, and 
 start playing basket ball again," Polly explained. 
 "You've no idea what fun it is; everybody has so 
 much to say; why the place is like a tower of 
 Babel." 
 
 "Do they all want to go back?" Maud asked, 
 still in the same level voice. 
 
 "Yes, every girl that's ever been to Seddon Hall 
 wants to get back," Polly said, and then, as if dis- 
 missing the subject, "Here's Mrs. Tomkins'." 
 
 They jumped out of the cart and rapped im- 
 portantly on Mrs. Tomkins' brass knocker. 
 
 The dairy did not prove exciting. Maud, in 
 spite of her brave beginning, retired into a shell 
 
Thoughts of School 
 
 235 
 
 and refused to speak. Polly was busy thinking 
 out a further plan of campaign, so the duty of 
 talking to Mrs. Tomkins rested entirely with Lois. 
 She did her best, admiring the neat rows of shin- 
 ing milk tins, the spotted black and white Sol- 
 stein cows, and went into ecstasies over a pair 
 of little calves. 
 
 Finally they bade Mrs. Tomkins good-by and 
 promised to come again. 
 
 " Which we won't," laughed Lois, settling back 
 in the cart. i ' I thought a dairy would be exciting, 
 but it 's no more thrilling than a clock. ' f 
 
 "Lo is disappointed because there were no 
 dairy maids on three legged stools,' ' laughed 
 Polly. "She wanted something that would make 
 a pretty picture." 
 
 "I certainly did," Lois agreed, solemnly. "I 
 don't think anything is worth while unless it's 
 beautiful. ' ' 
 
 "How about it's being more useful?" asked the 
 practical Polly. 
 
 Lois pouted, lifted her eyebrows and shrugged 
 her shoulders. 
 
 "I hate useful things," she said airily. "Milk- 
 ing cows by machinery may be more sensible, but 
 it's not as sweet as the old fashioned way, so it 
 shouldn't be allowed," she finished, with the pecul- 
 iar logic of Lois. 
 
236 Polly's Slimmer Vacation 
 
 Polly looked her disgust. "Upon my word, Lo, 
 you're beginning to be temperamental. ' ' 
 
 "What does that mean?" Maud inquired 
 shyly. 
 
 ' ' Crazy, ' ' was Polly 's prompt reply. ' ' Temper- 
 ament is a polite way of saying temper. People 
 who can do things like painting and singing and 
 playing, think they have a right to silly ideas, like 
 milk maids," this with a grin at Lois. 
 
 "Can Lois play?" Maud interrupted to ask. 
 
 "No, but the drawing teacher at school says 
 she can paint ; she can too, ' ' Polly said seriously. 
 She had a grave respect for Lois' drawings, but 
 she loved to tease her about them. 6 ' But that 's no 
 reason why she should have silly ideas. ' ' 
 
 As if this were final, and allowed of no further 
 argument, Polly tightened the reins on Banker's 
 back and he broke into a trot. 
 
 Maud's eyes were rivited on the pony's ears. 
 Polly noticed her interest. 
 
 "Want to drive?" she said, offering the reins. 
 
 "Oh, may I?" Maud was eager in accepting. 
 "I haven't driven for ages, and oh, how I love 
 it." 
 
 "Have you ever driven?" Lois inquired. 
 
 "Oh, yes, indeed. In India I drove and rode all 
 the time there; one does, you know." 
 
 The girls were beginning to recognize this last 
 phrase as characteristic of Maud* 
 
Thoughts of School 
 
 237 
 
 "We had some old Polo ponies; they were 
 awfully tricky." 
 
 "Can you ride horseback too?" Polly de- 
 manded. "Why didn't you say so? I'd have let 
 you ride Banker. I used to, but I'm getting too 
 heavy for him." This was not true; Polly had 
 longed to ride all Summer, but there was no horse 
 for Lois, so it had always been the cart. 
 
 They reached the house in time for luncheon 
 and found that Mrs. Farwell had gone over to 
 Mrs. Banks ', and had left word for them to have 
 luncheon on the terrace. 
 
 "Where's Bob, do you suppose?" Lois asked. 
 
 "Oh, he's staying with Anita. They asked him 
 to this morning," Polly said. "Some people are 
 coming over for tennis this afternoon; he won't 
 be home until dinner time." 
 
 Lois scowled. "He makes me sick, he's never 
 here any more, and when he is, he just moons 
 around until I wish he'd get out. What he can 
 see in Anita I can't imagine." Lois was frank, 
 with the bluntness peculiar to sisters. 
 
 "Anita is very nice, Lois," Polly said severely, 
 "and Bob likes tennis. What shall we do this 
 afternoon?" she asked, to change the subject. 
 "We've so little time left that we shouldn't waste 
 it." 
 
 6 6 How about a walk to the pinnacle ? ' ' Lois sug- 
 gested. "We've always intended to go up there, 
 
238 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 and some one said the gypsies were camping on 
 the way." 
 
 "I hate gypsies; they scare me to death," Polly 
 said emphatically. "One in a tent all rigged up 
 is all right, but a camp full of them ! No, thanks. ' ' 
 
 "Oh, very well; only they are so picturesque, I 
 love to look at them." Lois sighed dejectedly — 
 watching the effect of her speech out of the corner 
 of her eye. 
 
 "There you go again; more artisticness ; you 
 ought to be shaken good and hard," Polly de- 
 clared. "What do you want to do, Maud!" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know; anything you say." 
 
 "No, I'm tired of deciding; you say some- 
 thing," Polly insisted, determined to force a sug- 
 gestion if it were only picking flowers. 
 
 Maud caught her breath sharply; her eyes 
 were on a distant meadow, where two young colts 
 were grazing. 
 
 "Could we go and see the colts?" she said with 
 a rush. "I mean catch and ride them." 
 
 Polly and Lois looked at her in astonishment. 
 "We couldn't," Lois said. 
 
 But Polly exclaimed: "We could. Come on, 
 it's a great idea. We'll take turns trying to ride 
 them. ' ' 
 
 They were off at once, over the lawn, past the 
 barn, where they called to Tim to tell him where 
 they were going. The old coachman held up his 
 
Thoughts of School 
 
 239 
 
 hands in horror, but there was a look of amuse- 
 ment, tinged with pride in the corners of his eyes. 
 When they reached the pasture, set aside for 
 the colts, Polly and Maud took down the bars 
 and started for them. They were frisking in the 
 farthest corner of the field. Lois followed for a 
 few yards, but decided she would prefer to stay 
 on the fence and watch the fun, than to mix in 
 it. Maud, at the first sight of the horses, seemed 
 to completely cast her spell of bashfulness. She 
 approached the long legged clumsy little things 
 with an assurance that surprised even the daunt- 
 less Polly. 
 
 "Which one do you want?" she asked. 
 
 "Oh, I don't care; I guess it will be the ones 
 we can get. ' ' Polly laughed, making a futile dive 
 at one of them. 
 
 "I'll try for the black one then," Maud said, 
 but Polly was already off after the bay. 
 
 The chase lasted for quite awhile. Both girls 
 were quick as lightning and it seemed as if they 
 had them many times, but the colts ducked and 
 reared and galloped away. They seemed to be 
 thoroughly enjoying the sport. 
 
 At last, Polly got both arms around her pony's 
 neck and jumped on his back — then for a min- 
 ute the fun was fast and furious. Maud screamed 
 directions, dancing from one foot to the other in 
 her excitement. Polly's triumph was not long 
 
240 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 lived, however; an unexpected side jump and she 
 was rolling on the ground. Maud was the next 
 to succeed, and she had better luck. Once seated 
 on the colt's back, she stuck, in spite of his kick- 
 ing and rearing. Lois in the excitement of watch- 
 ing fell off the fence. After she picked herself 
 up she ran full tilt back to the house to return in 
 a f ew minutes with paper and pencil. She climbed 
 back on the fence again, wound her feet about 
 the lower rung for safety and started to sketch 
 hurriedly. 
 
 By that time, Polly and Maud were falling off 
 and jumping on their fiery charges in rapid succes- 
 sion, shouting with the very joy of it. They kept 
 it up until the sun began to sink behind the hill, al- 
 ready cloaked in its Autumn robe of gold and red. 
 
 "Jemima, but that was great," Polly ex- 
 claimed as she tossed her hair back from her face. 
 'Ton certainly are a wonder, Maud!" 
 
 Maud smiled happily; her eyes were bright with 
 excitement and her cheeks were flushed. She 
 fairly stood on her toes. 
 
 " Let's do it again to-morrow," she said. 
 
 "You bet, we'll have those colts perfect saddle 
 horses before we get through," Polly promised. 
 
 "What have you been doing, Lo?" she inquired, 
 looking at the paper in Lois' hand. 
 
 Lois chuckled. "I have been having the time of 
 my life," she said. "I couldn't see myself being 
 
Thoughts of School 
 
 241 
 
 kicked in the head by one of those wild animals, 
 but I certainly did have fun watching yon." 
 
 "What are those ?" Polly insisted, looking at 
 the papers. 
 
 Lois was embarrassed. "Oh, these? Well, 
 you see, I was afraid I couldn't tell Mother and 
 Bob how funny you looked, so I tried sketching 
 you in action." 
 
 Polly grabbed the sheets from her hand, and 
 looked at the pictures. There were six of them, of 
 Maud and Polly in every possible position, in mid 
 air, on the colts' backs and rolling on the ground. 
 
 "Lo, they're great. Look, Maud, this is you." 
 
 "Aren't they wonderful! How clever of you," 
 Maud exclaimed, looking over Polly's shoulder. 
 
 Mrs. Farwell and Bob saw them at the dinner 
 table and were even more enthusiastic over them. 
 
 "They really are splendid, darling," Mrs. Far- 
 well said. "I wish you'd do some more. I'm go- 
 ing to send them to Father to-night," she added, 
 as she rose to leave the table. 
 
 "They're pretty good, Sis," Bob admitted, 
 "but do you mean to tell me that Maud really 
 caught one of those frisky colts, and rode it?" he 
 added, lest too much attention should turn his sis- 
 ter's pretty head. He walked out on the terrace 
 between the two girls. 
 
 "Yes, she's a wonder with horses; she rode in 
 India," Lois told him. 
 
242 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "Well, I am surprised; of course I knew Polly 
 could do it, but Maud, that meek little thing, it's 
 hard to believe." 
 
 "Oh, Maud's not so meek as you think,' ' Polly 
 said, as they made their way to the barn. Bob 
 and she still kept up their habit of saying good 
 night to the dogs, in spite of the alarming cold- 
 ness between them. The only difference was, that 
 now Lois always went with them. 
 
 As they entered the barn, they heard an angry 
 yoice saying : 
 
 "I tell you, she's too fresh for a girl. I wish 
 she would go away to school." 
 
 The speaker proved to be the little boy that 
 Maud in her loneliness had discovered. He was 
 sitting on the grain box talking to Tim. 
 
 "Who's too fresh?" Bob asked, laughing. 
 
 "That kid next door," the youngster answered 
 in an aggrieved voice. 
 
 "Why what's she done to you?" Bob asked. 
 
 "Oh, nothin'," came the abashed reply, "that 
 is, nothin' much." 
 
 "Tell me about it," Lois commanded. 
 
 After sufficient urging, the boy said : 
 
 "Well, just 'cause I called hei a coward, 'cause 
 she wouldn't jump from the loft in her barn, she 
 slayped my face." 
 
 "What!" exclaimed everybody in one breath. 
 "Maud slapped you?" 
 
Thoughts of School 
 
 243 
 
 "Yes, she did and — " 
 
 "What did you say about school?' ' Polly in- 
 terrupted any further complaint. 
 
 "Ah, I just said, I wish'd she go. She talks 
 about how maybe she will go some day with youse 
 and— " 
 
 But Polly and Lois did not hear the rest ; they 
 stood looking at each other in amazement. 
 Finally Polly said : 
 
 "Victory — I told you she would." 
 
 "I can't see why you tried to make her," Bob 
 said later in the evening. "If she does go you'll 
 have to look after her all the time, and you won't 
 enjoy that." 
 
 "I know it," Polly said ruefully. "I don't 
 know why I did it either ; I thought she ought to, 
 somehow. ' ' 
 
 "That's it, it is just the way you always 
 have of making people do what you want them to, 
 no matter whether they want to or not," Lois said 
 with some severity, looking to Bob for support. 
 
 Bob, seeing the hurt expression in Polly's face, 
 said hurriedly: 
 
 "Nonsense, it's just because you're you, Poll, 
 and you can't help being the boss any more than 
 the rest of us can help doing what you say." 
 
 Mrs. Parwell, writing in the corner, looked up, 
 smiled, and then went back to her letter with a 
 sigh of relief. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 SHOPPING 
 
 Polly's victory was short lived. Maud had not 
 made up her mind to go to Seddon Hall. Quick 
 to follow up what they considered a big advan- 
 tage, the girls had pressed the point, but they 
 could get nothing but the "Oh, I couldn't,'' from 
 Maud. 
 
 Two weeks had been spent in useless argu- 
 ments, and now it was too late. School would 
 open in a week. The girls dismissed the subject 
 — Lois with relief, Polly with a queer feeling that 
 it was only a temporary defeat — and turned their 
 thoughts to the more important preparations for 
 school. 
 
 i 6 We must think about your clothes, girls," 
 Mrs. Farwell said one morning. It was just after 
 breakfast, and they were all in the living room 
 around the hearth. It was one of those raw 
 days, so frequent in early autumn, that carry the 
 chill of Winter with them and make fires wel- 
 come. Mrs. Farwell was sitting in a big arm 
 chair, Polly was toasting her feet on the fender, 
 and Lois was sitting on the floor at her mother's 
 feet. 
 
 244 
 
Shopping 
 
 245 
 
 "I suppose so," Lois sighed. "Clothes make 
 me tired; they are an awful nuisance. Thank 
 goodness, we just need sailor suits." 
 
 "Aren't the ones we had last year all right, 
 Aunt Kate?" Polly asked. 
 
 "They are a little short, I'm afraid," Mrs. Far- 
 well laughed. "You've no idea how you've 
 grown. I'm not worried about the sailor suits 
 though. They are easily ordered, but you must 
 have some new dresses for dances, and as for 
 stockings, I don't believe either of you have a sin- 
 gle pair that isn't all darned, so that they are 
 hardly recognizable." 
 
 "There are shoes too," Lois put in. 
 
 "And you know what my hat looked like when 
 we got back from camp, ' ' Polly reminded. 
 
 "Yes, I know. There is only one thing to do," 
 Mrs. Farwell said. "We'll have to go down to 
 the City and shop. ' ' 
 
 "Oh, Mother!" 
 
 "Aunt Kate!" 
 
 The girls looked reproachfully at her. 
 
 "We've so little time left up here, couldn't we 
 order by mail, or something f ' ' Polly pleaded. 
 
 "I know, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid there is 
 nothing else to do. We'll start early in the 
 morning and take a late train home. It's only 
 one day." 
 
 "One glorious day, and I'm just learning to 
 
246 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 catch those colts," Lois groaned. "Mother, cant 
 you go without us?" 
 
 Mrs. Farwell put back her head and laughed 
 heartily. 
 
 "You little wretches, would you really let me 
 go all alone? How could I buy shoes for you? 
 I'll tell you, if you'll tear yourselves away from 
 the colts for one day, I'll promise you that you 
 will have a good time in the City. ' ' 
 
 Polly left the fender, and perched on the arm 
 of Mrs. Farwell 's chair. 
 
 "Of course well go, Aunt Kate, and we'll have 
 a good time too; it's only for one day anyhow." 
 
 "What's only for one day?" Bob inquired. He 
 had just finished breakfast and this was his first 
 appearance. 
 
 "Oh, we've got to go to town and buy clothes," 
 Lois said, "and we don't want to." 
 "When are you going?" 
 
 "Why, I guess we may as well go to-morrow 
 and get it over with. The girls feel as though 
 they were going to a funeral. ' ' 
 
 "Don't you want to come with us?" Lois in- 
 quired. 
 
 "No, thanks." Bob was imperative in his re- 
 fusal. "I can't see myself buying shoes for you 
 and Poll. I '11 keep shop here, while you 're gone. ' ' 
 
 "Oh, all right; we only asked you to be polite," 
 Lois teased. "Come on, Polly, let's go get Maud 
 
Shopping 
 
 247 
 
 and go out to the pasture. I'm going to catch 
 that black colt, or die in the attempt." 
 
 "You are?" Bob jumped to his feet. "Then 
 I'm coming to see the fun." 
 
 "Do be careful, Lois," Mrs. Farwell called after 
 them, as they went out of the front door. 
 
 The next morning, they were up bright and 
 early. The train left at eight o'clock, and Polly 
 was in Lois' room at six-thirty. 
 
 "Get up, you lazy thing, or we'll miss our 
 train," she said, shaking her. 
 
 Lois rolled over, opened one sleepy eye, strug- 
 gled to waken but gave it up and burrowed her 
 head deeper into the pillow. 
 
 Polly applied a cold sponge. It had the de- 
 sired effect. 
 
 i ' Ouch ! stop ! I'll get up, I promise. Oh, Poll, 
 you — you've given me a chill." 
 
 "Well, get up then; it's late, I tell you." 
 
 "I suppose I'd better get used to it. I can just 
 hear that beastly old rising bell clanging away be- 
 fore sun-rise," she complained. "That's the only 
 thing I hate about school." 
 
 "Oh, you'll get used to it; just think how cold 
 it will be jumping into an icy bath," Polly called 
 from her room. 
 
 They dressed hastily, and seven o'clock saw 
 them at the breakfast table, and much to their sur- 
 prise Bob was down too. 
 
248 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "I had to see you off. I told Tim I'd drive you 
 to the station; he's busy getting in the hay and 
 he objects to having the middle of his day broken 
 in upon. He's been up since four," he explained 
 in answer to Polly's exclamation of surprise. 6 6 1 
 said I'd hitch up too, so hurry with breakfast, 
 Polly, for you've got to help me." 
 
 Polly hurried, astonished at the tone of com- 
 radeship that had come back into Bob's voice. 
 
 "All ready," she answered, pushing her chair 
 back from the table. "We'll be round in ten min- 
 utes," she told Mrs. Farwell. 
 
 "It's a bully day," Bob said, over the harness- 
 ing. 
 
 "Yes, specially for tennis," Polly retorted, but 
 she could have cut out her tongue a second later 
 for saying it. 
 
 Bob just looked at her ; he was a little surprised 
 and a little hurt. It dawned on him for the first 
 time that Polly might be jealous ; it seemed to ex- 
 plain her queer attitude. 
 
 They finished harnessing in silence and drove 
 around to the front of the house. 
 
 Once on the train, Polly tried to forget the inci- 
 dent, but, in her heart of hearts, she realized she 
 had stooped to a very silly exhibition of temper 
 and she regretted it sorely. 
 
 They planned and made lists until they pulled 
 into the Grand Central Station. Uncle Roddy 
 
Shopping 
 
 249 
 
 was there to meet them with his car. After de- 
 ciding where they should meet for luncheon, he 
 left them with parting instructions to Polly : 
 
 "Buy what you want, Tiddledewinks, but 
 don't break the bank." 
 
 They whisked as fast as traffic would permit to 
 Thirty-fourth Street, and from that point, the 
 busiest of days began. They went to Peter 
 Thompson's and were measured for sailor suits, 
 and for half an hour they reveled in colored ties. 
 The first really serious purchase was hats. Polly 
 was impossible to suit. 
 
 "No, I don't like it," she would say, as the pa- 
 tient saleswoman brought out hat after hat. 
 1 1 They all look silly." 
 
 "I think you are right, Polly," Mrs. Farwell 
 said, resignedly. "Velvet hats do look silly this 
 time of year, but so do straw ones." 
 
 "Why not compromise on soft felt?" the sales- 
 woman suggested, and produced broad brimmed 
 felts in every shade. 
 
 Polly was appeased at once and selected one 
 of rich hunter's green. 
 
 "There, that's comfortable," she said as she 
 pulled it down on her head and tilted it at a be- 
 witching angle. 
 
 "And becoming too, Polly dear," Mrs. Farwell 
 agreed; "green is your color. Now. Lois, what 
 do you want?" 
 
250 Polly's Slimmer Vacation 
 
 Lois looked at the sea of hats before her, 
 and selected the funniest one of the lot, put it on 
 the back of her head and faced her mother. 
 Polly and Mrs. Farwell broke into gales of 
 laughter. Nothing could have been more absurd 
 than the tailor made Lois in that befeathered 
 hat. 
 
 "Take it off, Lois," pleaded Mrs. Farwell, "and 
 get one like Polly's." 
 
 "Not a green one," Lois protested; "I want 
 mine brown." When she put the desired one on 
 the effect was quite as pleasing as Polly 's. 
 
 Silk dresses came next, a green one for Polly 
 of stiff taffeta, and a brown one for Lois. They 
 were made exactly alike, and the girls were de- 
 lighted with them. 
 
 "That's enough clothes for to-day, Mother; 
 let's eat," Lois said as they left the store and 
 entered the waiting car. 
 
 Luncheon was a merry affair. They called for 
 Uncle Koddy first and then drove to the hotel. 
 The afternoon they spent in buying shoes. 
 
 "Well, that wasn't so bad, after all," Lois 
 sighed as they climbed into the train, "and, thank 
 goodness, it's over." 
 
 Tim met them at the station, and Polly won- 
 dered where Bob was. They found him stretched 
 out in the hammock on the piazza when they ar- 
 rived. 
 
Shopping 
 
 251 
 
 "Have you been here all day?" Lois demanded, 
 sitting down beside him. 
 
 "No, indeed, I've had a very strenuous time," 
 Bob told her. 
 
 "What doing, playing tennis" Lois asked. 
 
 Bob and Polly looked at each other quickly and 
 then looked away. 
 
 "No, I have not, I've been out taming colts 
 all day, with Maud," he told them; "she tired me 
 out." Then, as the girls started to go in he said: 
 
 "Hold on a minute, Polly, will you? I want to 
 talk to you. Come on for a walk." 
 
 He slipped out of the hammock, and they walked 
 towards the barn. 
 
 "What's been the matter with you lately, 
 Poll?" he demanded, when they were off the 
 piazza. "You've been acting awfully funny." 
 
 Polly was about to say: "Why nothing," but 
 thought better of it; instead she said: 
 
 "I don't know r , Bob, I guess I've been cross, 
 but I don't exactly know why. I'm awfully 
 sorry; I'm not any more." 
 
 "Thank goodness for that; if it's nothing, we 
 won't talk about it. All I want is, to be friends 
 again. I've missed you awfully, Poll." 
 
 "Of course we'll be friends. I've missed you, 
 too. I don't know what got into me." Polly 
 looked up shyly. "That is, I know, but I won't 
 tell." 
 
252 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 "You don't have to, I know already. It was 
 Anita." 
 "Bob!" 
 
 "Well, wasn't it!" 
 "Yes." 
 
 "You silly kid, why, that girl with all her frills 
 can't hold a candle to you, and you know it." 
 "Then why—" 
 
 ' ' Oh, she was fun to talk to, but she never could 
 be a good chum like you," Bob said with spirit. 
 Then, fearing perhaps that they had dwelt long 
 enough on this embarrassing subject, he said 
 abruptly : 
 
 "Let's go see the dogs." 
 
CHAPTEK XX 
 
 THE END OE THE SUMMER 
 
 The last days of the summer vacation came with 
 startling haste. Polly and Lois and Bob had 
 crowded into them as mnch as they possibly could, 
 but they had flown by all too fast. 
 
 Polly stood on the veranda steps in a chaos of 
 trunks and bags. She was waiting for Lois and 
 Mrs. Farwell. Bob had left for college the night 
 before. The spirit of departure seemed to hang 
 in the air. 
 
 Sometimes in the midst of hurry we think our 
 quietest thoughts. In her own way, Polly was re- 
 viewing the vacation, and a summary of her 
 thoughts left a smile of happy reminiscence on her 
 lips. 
 
 "It has been wonderful,'' she said, half aloud, 
 5 6 what fun we've had. It seems like a dream, now 
 that it 's all over. I wish it had been a little longer, 
 I'll miss it all, the dogs, Bob, and even funny little 
 Maud, but," she added, as her eyes fell on the 
 trunks, "it's going to be great getting back to 
 school." And her fancy took flight until Seddon 
 Hall stretched out before her, dotted with all the 
 
 253 
 
254 Polly's Summer Vacation 
 
 dear, familiar objects, and her ear caught the wel- 
 coming shouts of the girls — her friends, all of 
 them. The picture left no room for regret. 
 
 ' i Come on, Poll, we're off." Lois' voice 
 brought her back with a start. 
 
 They climbed into the carriage and rolled swiftly 
 away. The big house on the hill looked desolate 
 in the sunshine, with its shuttered windows. 
 
 As they passed the Kent place they called out 
 a last good-by to Maud, standing alone and for- 
 lorn in the driveway. She seemed in part with 
 the deserted house and strangely empty fields. 
 Polly and Lois were of another world. They did 
 not look back, for their eyes, as well as their 
 thoughts were fixed in happy anticipation of the 
 coming year at Seddon Hall. 
 
 THE END 
 
THE "POLLY" SERIES 
 
 By DOROTHY WHITEHILL 
 
 Polly Pendleton is a resouce- 
 ful, wide-awake American girl 
 who goes to a boarding school 
 on the Hudson River some miles 
 above New York. By her pluck 
 and resourcefulness, she soon 
 makes a place for herself and 
 this she holds right through the 
 course. The account of boarding 
 school life is faithful and pleas- 
 ing and will attract every girl in 
 her teens. 
 
 Cloth, large 12 mo. Illustrated 
 
 1 POLLY'S FIRST YEAR AT BOARDING SCHOOL 
 
 2 POLLY'S SUMMER VACATION 
 
 3 POLLY'S SENIOR YEAR AT BOARDING SCHOOL 
 
 4 POLLY SEES THE WORLD AT WAR 
 
 5 POLLY AND LOIS 
 
 6 POLLY AND BOB 
 
 7 POLLY'S REUNION 
 
 8 POLLY'S POLLY 
 
 9 POLLY AT PIXIES' HAUNT 
 10 POLLY'S HOUSE PARTY 
 
 POLLY'S 
 
 FIRST YEAR AT 
 BOARDING SCHOOL 
 
 DOROTHY WHITEHILL 
 
 BARSE & HOPKINS 
 New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J, 
 
CHARMING STORIES FOR GIRLS 
 
 The Corner House Girls Series 
 
 By GRACE BROOKS HILL 
 
 Tfie CORNER 
 HOUSE GIRLS 
 
 GRACE BROOKS HILL 
 
 Four girls from eight to fourteen 
 years of age receive word that a rich 
 bachelor uncle has died, leaving 
 them the old Corner House he occu- 
 pied. They move into it and then 
 the fun begins. What they find and 
 do will provoke many a hearty 
 laugh. Later, they enter school and 
 make many friends. One of these in- 
 vites the girls to spend a few weeks 
 at a bungalow owned by her parents, 
 and the adventures they meet with 
 make very interesting reading. 
 Clean, wholesome stories of humor 
 and adventure, sure to appeal to all 
 young girls. 
 
 1 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS. 
 
 2 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS AT SCHOOL. 
 
 3 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. 
 
 4 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS IN A PLAY. 
 
 5 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS' ODD FIND. 
 
 6 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON A TOUR. 
 
 7 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS GROWING UP. 
 
 8 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS SNOWBOUND. 
 
 9 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON A HOUSEBOAT. 
 
 10 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS AMONG THE GYPSIES. 
 
 11 CORNER HOUSE GIRLS ON PALM ISLAND. 
 13 THE CORNER HOUSE GIRLS SOLVE A 
 
 MYSTERY 
 
 13 THE CORNER HOUSE GIRLS FACING THE 
 WORLD. 
 
 BARS IS & HOPKINS 
 New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J.