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On the third day after the Kestevens' arrival the Frenchmen achieved acquaintance with Bran on the beach. He came back to his party announcing that "Sacha" and "Rupert" had asked him if he would like to go out sailing with them.
"Come for a walk in their boat they said," he said, grinning gaily at their literal English. "And they asked if my sisters like going out for walks in a boat, too?"
Kitty and Haidee exchanged rapid eye-signals, then looked away at the sea. Harriott frowned.
"Why don't the idiotic creatures come and call on us like honest men, or send their women folk?"
"He's got no women folk but his sister, and she hasn't come from Paris yet," burst from Haidee suddenly.
"Whose sister?"
"Sacha's."
"She 's expected on Thursday," supplemented Kitty. A minute later the two discovered urgent business elsewhere--perhaps for fear of being questioned as to the source of their information.
Val and Harriott gazed at each other stupefied.