“Aren’t the girls ever coming?” sighed Tubby. “They couldn’t be so heartless.”
“They haven’t gone far; have they?” queried Dave Shepard. “We saw their canoes on the beach.”
Just then the laughter of the girls in the distance broke upon the ears of those on the hillock. They were approaching along the shore–apparently from the direction of Jarley’s landing.
“They don’t seem to have been much scared, after all,” grumbled Tubby to Ferd.
“It was a silly thing to do, anyway,” returned young Roberts. “Suppose we don’t get any breakfast?”
At this horrid thought the fat youth almost fainted. The girls came in sight, and at once hailed the boys gaily:
“Oh! see who’s here!” cried Frank. “What a lovely surprise!”
“Isn’t it?” said Bess, but with rather a vicious snap. “We couldn’t get along, of course, without having a parcel of boys around. ’Morning, Mr. Shepard.”
Bess made a difference between Dave and the rest of the Busters, for Dave had helped her in a serious difficulty.
“Where’s the professor?” demanded Grace. “Isn’t he here, too?”