The ladies all laughed and Mrs. Ramsey said that her neighbors need not think they could send over [59]and borrow this new institution, though she was sure the institution was much more entertaining than any phonograph. They were all quite merry over it, and all the time Edna was thinking very hard, and was the most sober one of the company.
After the visitors had departed, the two younger of them quite thawed out, and promising with great readiness to come again, the three little girls returned to their place on the sands.
They were discussing the two Potter children when suddenly Edna sang out: "I see a boat coming."
"There are always boats coming and going," remarked Dorothy; "I don't think that is anything very unusual."
"But they don't often come so close to the shore, as if they were making right for this little landing," protested Edna.
Jennie sprang to her feet. "I do believe it is someone coming here," she declared, "but I don't know who it is. I think it is one of the boats from the hotel. There are two pretty big boys in it and a smaller boy. Yes, they are going to land. Shall we stay here or go to the house? I am sure I don't know them."
The other two were standing up by now. They watched the boat till it came up to the little landing, saw one of the boys, the smaller one, scramble ashore and then the others row off. The smaller boy came on directly to where the little girls were [60]standing. As soon as he caught sight of them he took off his hat and walked faster.
Then Edna recognized him: "Why it's Louis, my cousin Louis," she cried, and ran to meet him. "Why, Louis Morrison," she greeted him as he came up, "where in the world did you come from?"
"From the hotel," responded Louis. "Mother and I are staying there and mother had a letter from your mother telling her that you were here and where you were staying, so when Al and Phil Haines said they were coming out in a boat I got them to leave me here. I say, it's fine, isn't it?"
Just what was fine, Edna did not stop to inquire, but turned to her friends to say, "This is my cousin Louis Morrison; Louis, this is Jennie Ramsey and this is Dorothy Evans, my dearest friends."