“Very well. Campbell just went to the station with two sunburned boys from camp. I met him as I was coming to the dock. By the way, your own complexions are of the stylish summer type.”
“Oh, yes! We’re always in the state of being either red, blistered or brown. The girls with black hair are the only ones that show any contrast.”
At the station Mrs. Van Buskirk was highly entertained. It had been a long time since she had seen so many girls abroad together. There were eager last messages, goodbyes, clusters of happy, laughing girls, and finally the moving train, bright faces in windows and waving hands. Campbell had joined the party, and after the train left they returned to seats in the station while the matter of getting to Boston was under consideration. Mrs. Van Buskirk explained the change of plan as she had to Cathalina, to find the young people quite pleased with the idea of the boat trip to Boston.
“The boat does not leave till somewhere around seven o’clock,” said Campbell. “I’ll find out the exact time. We can have lunch at the Colonial on the way down. I don’t know what sort of accommodations we shall be able to get.”
“That’s so,” said Cathalina. “There are two parties from our camp taking the trip to Boston, New York and Washington.”
“I took it for granted,” said Mrs. Van Buskirk, “that we’d go by boat, and telegraphed from Portland for reservations.”
“I might have known,” said Cathalina, with relief, knowing, too, that the reservations would include the best staterooms on the steamer.
They left the station, Campbell, with courtesy, accompanying his aunt; but Mrs. Van Buskirk said that she must talk to Cathalina about several matters and thus changed the order of march. Betty and Lilian purposely fell in together, leaving Hilary free for Campbell.
“This house party,” said Campbell, “is one fine plan of Aunt Sylvia’s.”
“I guess Cathalina thought it up, didn’t she?” replied Hilary.