CHAPTER XX
GOOD-BYE, SUMMER!
Days at Surfwood passed happily and swiftly. Dolly and Dotty often discussed the matter and always agreed that camp life and hotel life were equally pleasant, though in opposite ways. And if Dotty sometimes sighed for the careless freedom of the life in the woods or if Dolly felt in her secret heart that she preferred the more formal conventions of the big hotel, they soon forgot such thoughts in the joys of the moment.
There was seabathing every day and automobile trips and all sorts of beach fun and frolic.
The time was drawing near for them to go back to Berwick and settle down again to the routine of home life.
Among the last of the season's gaieties there was to be a children's dance in the big ball-room. This was a regular summer feature and all the guests of the hotel did their best to make the occasion attractive.
All under sixteen were considered children, and even some of the little tots were allowed to attend the festival. Fancy dress was not obligatory, but many of the young people chose to wear gay costumes.
The two Cliftons, the Brown twins and Dolly and Dotty had come to be a clique by themselves, and were always together.
"Let's dress alike for the silly party," said Clifford, who liked to appear scornful of such amusements, but who was really very fond of them.
"All right; how shall we dress?" said Dotty, who was always ready for dressing up.