“Yes, a ride for anybody who wants to go, and a swim afterwards.”
Marjorie and Ethel, who felt a little stiff from their strenuous exercise that morning, decided to remain at home, although all the rest of the scouts wanted to go. Marjorie went into her cabin, and selected some scout literature which she had received from headquarters, to take over with her to the porch, where she would examine it at her leisure. Ethel followed her with some writing materials, and both girls spent their time quietly and profitably until the party returned.
“Come on now! Cut out the study!” cried Bob Hilton, riding right up to the porch. “Time for a swim!”
“Is the water deep?” asked Alice, whose horse was just behind his.
“No, it really isn’t any wonderful swimming hole,” replied the young man. “So don’t get your hopes up too high.”
“Well, just as long as it’s nice and cool,” said Florence. “This sun is getting pretty hot.”
“Oh, it will cool you off, all right!” said Arthur, with a sly wink at his brother.
The girls found to their dismay that the water was much colder than they had expected. Doris and Alice jumped in and out again in a flash, but the others decided to brave it a little longer, and get warmed up by the exercise of swimming. All five of the Academy boys, the Hiltons, and the Melvilles were among the party; but Kirk Smith and the Judson girls were absent.
“I thought you said Kirk Smith liked swimming,” remarked Marjorie to Bob Hilton, after she began to feel a little more comfortable. “Why isn’t he in?”
“Oh, he goes in every day, but never with the crowd. He prefers his own company.”