Dan stood gazing about the scene. "I—-I wonder where Miss Atterly is?" Dan mused aloud.
"Oh, I can tell you," Belle answered. "A moment ago she went through the entrance over yonder."
"Alone?"
"No; an older woman, probably Miss Atterly's mother, was with her."
"Oh! Let's look them up, then, if you don't mind."
As Belle rose, taking Dave's arm, Dan and Laura took the lead.
Just beyond the entrance that Belle had indicated no one else was in sight when the four young friends reached the spot. There was a clump of potted tropical shrubbery at one side.
On the other side of this shrubbery sat Mrs. and Miss Atterly, engaged in conversation.
"Why do you prefer to sit in this out-of-the-way place, Catharine?" her mother inquired, just as the young people came up.
"I want to get away from two rather goodlooking but very ordinary girls that Mr. Dalzell wants to present to me, mamma," she replied.