Carrie and Mattie plowed on through the sand, and the Riddle Club members trailed silently back to the water. Polly's eyes were dancing, and, happening to glance at Fred, she began to laugh. Jess and Margy snickered, and in a moment all six were laughing uncontrollably.
"Oh dear!" cried Jess, wiping her eyes. "Did you ever hear of anything so funny! Mattie and Carrie probably have more money to spend than the boys have."
"I hope Joe and Albert see them coming and dodge them," Fred gurgled. "Can't you picture those two boys dodging Carrie and Mattie all the afternoon, afraid they'll be asked to treat them to a soda or take them on a merry-go-round? And all the time Carrie and Mattie will be having a grand time and taking in all the sights as fast as they can! I hope Carrie gets a chance to tell Joe what she thinks of him. Trust her to do it."
"Mother said you weren't to talk about Carrie Pepper the way you do," Margy reproved him.
"I don't think she's so bad," said Artie in a tone that convulsed the others again.
"She probably thinks you're a wonder," Jess told him.
"The original little information booth, aren't you, Artie?" Fred added.
Artie happened to find an exceptionally large clam shell just then and wisely forebore to argue. And the Riddle Club spent the rest of the afternoon amiably, asking and answering riddles, searching for shells, and watching the fishing boats come in.
"There's a motor boat," said Jess, as a small boat some distance out turned and sped down the coast. "Look how fast it goes!"
"That's Larry's boat," Fred said. "It's called the Clara and he takes picnic parties out."