“Just the thing! Don’t you want them, Cathalina?”
“No, I happened to bring them because they were in with the rest.”
As if strolling, the party moved toward the pine grove, but when they had reached its shelter their demeanor changed and they scurried along the trail, through the trees and over the rocks that lined the shore of Merrymeeting Bay.
“We’ll have to be quick,” said Campbell, “before my party has to leave.”
“Let ’em; they’ll soon find out, anyhow.”
“They will like it in the end. Let me know how it comes out, girls.”
“Be sure to have them start out early tomorrow morning before anybody else does.”
As they came back toward the club house, they saw June, Dot and Jo sitting on the steps, talking earnestly and mysteriously, as gestures and looks indicated.
“Hello, June,” called Campbell, holding out a hand. “And how are Dot and Jo by this time?” June sprang to meet him, Dot took his other hand and Jo stood smiling by.
“Where’ve you been, Mr. Stuart?” asked Dot. “We looked for you after supper.”
“Just now we’ve come from the pine grove and around the rocks,” replied Campbell, promptly and truthfully. “Big storm last night, girls, must have beat upon the rocks something fierce! I wonder if it opened up any of the caves where Captain Kidd’s treasure is!”
“We’ll go up tomorrow and see,” said Jo, entering into the spirit of Campbell’s joking. “But we children are not allowed to play around there alone. I don’t see why, because there’s nobody ever there but camp folks.”
“Could the big girls take you? They could get up early for once, couldn’t they?”
“Why, Mr. Stuart! You know we get up as early as the boys do, and have a dip and everything, early bird hikes,—”
“We’ll prove it,” said Cathalina. “We will take you tomorrow morning. Be ready and we’ll stop for you,—we’ll whistle Campbell’s fraternity whistle.”
“All right! Goody!” The little girls jumped up and down as small girls sometimes do.
“Hunting treasure!” exclaimed Campbell. “What could be more thrilling?”
“Wear your sweaters, kiddies,” Hilary admonished, “it will be cool.”
“O, that isn’t early enough. That would only give us an hour or so before dip.”
“Mercy,” said Eloise, “how long do you want?”
“Could you come for us at five or five-thirty, before _anybody_ is up, you know?”