"I'm afraid I'd die if a snake touched me," added Alice Strobell, with a shudder.
For a while the snake episode put a damper on the outing. But the boys did their best to make the girls forget it, and after a while all were hunting as diligently as before for ferns. They found a varied collection, and took delight in filling the shoeboxes with the plants, filling in the tops of the boxes with moss.
"Oh, my! Half-past three already!" declared Ruth presently, as she consulted her pretty little wrist-watch.
"As late as that?" returned Martha.
"Perhaps we had better go back and have our lunch," suggested Mary.
All were willing, for climbing around the rocks had made the young folks hungry. Mary and Spouter led the way back, with the others straggling behind.
"What are you going to do this summer, Jack?" questioned Ruth on the way.
"We haven't made any plans yet, Ruth. I want to see my father first of all."
"I don't blame you for that. You must be glad to think he is coming back safe and sound. And just to think that he won a medal! Isn't it perfectly wonderful!" and her eyes beamed with pleasure.
"It sure is! Oh, my dad's a wonderful man—the best in the world!" answered the young captain enthusiastically. And then he added: "Have your folks decided to go down on the Jersey shore?"