"What has become of your artist friend?" asked Miss Elliott suddenly.
Gwen immediately became very busy rearranging the pillow on the divan. "Oh, he's around," she said with apparent indifference. "You know his sister and the children have gone off for some weeks, so of course I see nothing of them. I saw him yesterday out sketching. To-day he has gone somewhere in a boat. Everyone has gone off in a boat. Ethel and Mr. Mitchell are on their way to Jagged Island, Manny Green is off for the Banks, and Mr. Hilary has gone up along to some unknown spot. I am quite desolate without my playmates. I think I shall have to hunt up Daddy Lu."
But Luther Williams had gone to his favorite haunt in Middle Bay, Gwen discovered, for no one had seen him since morning. So the girl returned to the house and busied herself with unimportant things till it was time for the afternoon's mail. "I'll stop in to see Miss Phosie," she said as she passed out, "so don't expect me right back, Aunt Cam." She looked across to Jagged Island wondering if the two who had rowed over that morning had yet returned. She looked toward the north to see if Cap'n Ben's little boat were on its way back, but except for a motor boat chugging along and some white sails far off there were no vessels visible. So she turned toward the cove and was soon in Miss Phosie's bright kitchen.
CHAPTER XIV
"THE CLOUDS YE SO MUCH DREAD"
Only Miss Phosie was at home, but she gave a smiling welcome to her guest. "I see Ora has come back," said Gwen by way of opening the conversation.
"Yes, she wanted to see Cap'n Hooper's vessel off, I s'pose. Anyway she wasn't content to stay any longer."
"And Manny has really gone."
Miss Phosie nodded. "I'm happy to say he has. Maybe Ora'll take an interest in something and somebody else, now. I was hoping she'd feel inclined to stay at Bangor with her cousins, but here she was back at the end of a week, and all the difference I can see is, she's got a bigger lot of hair piled up over her forehead and a gayer hat."