The older of the two boys whipped off his hat.
"I—I beg your pardon," he said, colouring. "We were only joking. We—we——"
"It puts us in an embarrassing position," Elizabeth contributed.
"Well, some of the girls, they—we——" the other boy also found explanation more difficult than he had anticipated.
"There's a difference in girls," Peggy said, severely.
"We were only going to ask you the way to the beach." The first boy's hair was a blazing, splendid red. Elizabeth liked red-headed boys.
"I've seen you there almost every day this summer," Peggy challenged.
"So've I seen you." The second boy had a wide, ingratiating grin. "We want to get acquainted, that's all," he admitted, "so we were pursuing what seems to be the usual way down here."
"That isn't the way to get acquainted with us," Elizabeth said.
"What is the way, then?"