Bob and his sister Susie were going, Ned would be there and Jerry Hopkins had promised to take Julia. Besides it was expected that a number of boys and girls, friends of the three chums, would be present.
When Bob, Ned and Jerry, with the two girls, reached the club house that evening, they found a big crowd already there.
“Oh, there’s Alice Vines and Helen Gale!” exclaimed Susie, leaving her brother and running over to where the girls stood.
“Yes, and there’s Mollie Horton!” exclaimed Julia. “I’m real glad she came,” and Julia ran from her brother and joined Mollie.
“Well, it looks as if we’d have to paddle our own canoes,” remarked Jerry, with a laugh. “Deserted the first thing, after the glorious victories we won, too.”
“Let’s pretend we don’t want to talk to them,” suggested Ned. “That’s the surest way to bring the girls around,” which holds true of old as well as young girls, it may be said.
“Come down stairs and I’ll treat you all to ice-cream,” invited Jerry.
The boys were hurrying away, not looking in the direction of the girls, when there was a flurry of skirts and a miniature cyclone descended about the lads.
“What’s that I heard about ice-cream?” asked Julia, with a laugh, as she ran up and grasped her brother by the arm.