CHAPTER XX
CROSSING THE CHANNEL
Two days later our party started for France by way of Dover. They parted regretfully from their friends, who were obliged to remain in London a few days longer, and it is safe to say the others, the boys at least, were even more sorry to part from them. They had not expected any one to see them off, and so it was a complete surprise when they found, not only the Dickensons and Archie, but all the rest of the jolly yachting party, waiting to say good-by to them and speed them on their way.
Our girls were showered with good wishes and pleadings from the boys not to “forget them altogether in the gay and riotous life of Paris.” They promised laughingly, thankful to their friends for making the parting a so much easier one than they had anticipated.
The little packet steamed away from the dock and the girls waved to the group on the wharf and the group on the wharf waved to them until they were out of sight.
“Wasn’t that lovely of them?” fairly beamed Lucile, as she turned from the last wave at the little dots that had been people. “I think they are the jolliest crowd I’ve ever met. Jessie, your bow is crooked; hold still a minute. There, it’s all right now. Oh, girls, I’m so happy that, if some one doesn’t hold me down, I’ll go up in the air like a balloon and sit on that fluffy white cloud. No, that one over there, the one that looks like a canary bird.”
“Goodness! She’s quite romantic!” said Jessie, squinting up at the cloud in question. “It looks more like an elephant to me.”
“To come down from the discussion of clouds and elephants,” began Evelyn, “to every-day matters, I wonder 142 if that Frenchman we met on the steamer—what was his name? Oh, yes, I remember; Monsieur Charloix—I wonder if he’s found that girl yet.”
“And the fortune,” added Lucile. “Don’t forget to mention the most important part. I’ve——”