Polly glanced over to one side and saw a tractor pulling a lawn mower as easily as her daddy pushed their lawn mower at home. So that was how these lawns were kept so evenly clipped and trimmed!
There was one man running the tractor and another stood on a gravel path, watching him. He turned at the sound of the cars and looked inquiringly at the driver. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man in golf clothes, and had a pleasant face and a white mustache that made his dark eyes very noticeable.
"I hope we're not trespassing," said Mr. Larue courteously. "But we are anxious to reach Sunrise Beach and were forced to make a detour because they are moving a barn across the road and the way is blocked. Do you know whether Captain Mooney objects to travel over his roads—the gates were open—or not?"
The man smiled a little and lifted his hat to show the white hair beneath.
"I am sure Captain Mooney will have no objections," he said heartily. "The roads are only closed to motorists who abuse their privileges."
The children were staring in fascination at the lawn mower, and so absorbed were they that the clang of a clear little bell made them all jump. A girl about Polly's age came wheeling up the gravel path and jumped from her bicycle.
"Daddy, I thought we were going to the beach!" she exclaimed. "Oh!" she said, suddenly noticing the two cars.
"Ella, all these young people are going to Sunrise Beach," said the white-haired man, smiling. "You'd like to have some brothers and sisters like that to play with, wouldn't you?"
The little girl smiled and Polly saw how pretty she was. Her bobbed hair was yellow, but her eyes were dark like her father's, and she was tanned as though she had spent much time near the water. Her teeth were very even and very white.
"I haven't any one to play with," she mourned. "Are you all brothers and sisters?"