CHAPTER XVIII
A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE
There were not many young people summering on Beatty’s Island. Ellen and Mabel could claim acquaintance with perhaps half a dozen girls of their own age, and not so many boys, youths about to enter college, or, having finished high school, waiting a chance to enter into business. Dolly and Cora Dix lived nearest. They were of the flapperish type, dressed and looked the character, were rather insipid and silly. Farther away lived Claudia and Lucile Bond, who affected knickers, were very sporty, and talked a great deal about “expressing themselves,” used the latest slang, and liked to be considered mannish. The Bonds’ nearest neighbors were the Truesdells. There were three girls in this family, Hettie, Gertrude, and Cassie, the youngest being Cassie. These were nice unaffected girls, and their brother, Alvin, a lad of eighteen, was much like them. Theirs was a hospitable house, always something going on. No amount of trouble was too much when it came to entertaining, and all was done so easily, for every one took a hand in preparations.
It was to the Truesdells’ that Ellen and Mabel went most frequently, joining forces with them when it came to excursions, picnics, and the like, and sharing with them any news which might come their way.
Therefore they were not slow to tell them of the late experiences with Tom and Reed. Hettie waved to the two girls as she saw them coming down the road. “Join us on the rocks, can’t you?” she called. “We’re going to have supper on the rocks this evening.”
“So sorry, Miss Truesdell,” Ellen answered, “but we have a previous engagement.”
“Who’s stealing our thunder?” asked Hettie. “I’ll bet it is those Dix girls; they’re always butting in when we propose anything.” There was no love lost between the Truesdell girls and the Dixes.
“You’re ’way off,” declared Mabel; “the Dix girls have nothing to do with it; they’d better not. No, my dear, we are going over to Minor’s Island to make clam chowder for two delectable youths.”
“Who are they? Who are they?” Hettie stopped whisking the mayonnaise dressing she was preparing.
“Tell her, Ellen. They are your discovery.”