Dressing, writing a letter or two home, and fixing schedules of study occupied the rest of the time before dinner.
The lake shore at Greycliff was both beautiful and interesting. There were the tall, grey stone cliffs which had given the village and the school their name, and beneath the cliffs a rocky shore with great boulders, around which the waters tossed and foamed. Then there was a long, wide stretch of sand, under bluffs of a different formation. To bathe and swim, the girls naturally frequented the sandy beach and its rolling waves, but the rocks made attractive seats, and on top of the “Cliffs” there was soil, with trees and bushes. Only a part of this belonged to the school.
The appointed meeting could as well have taken place in one of the suites, but none of the girls wanted to miss the time, between dinner and the evening study bell, which was usually devoted to pleasant strolls or outdoor fun of some sort.
Climbing over the rocks, Cathalina, Hilary, Betty and the rest found a suitable place, where a shelf jutted out from the cliff side and irregular rocks and boulders offered seats. There they settled, arranging their light dresses like a flock of sea birds alighting and preening their plumage. Knowing well, however, the strength of the lake winds, they had been wise enough to bring their sweaters or jackets.
“Watch the clouds, girls,” said Lilian, “we ought not to think of such things as lessons and school with all this to look at.”
“See the colors under that golden angel’s wing across the sky!” exclaimed Cathalina, pointing. “Father said I could paint this year if I wanted to. I wish I could mix colors like those! But come to order, ladies,—who shall be chairman? This is a real meeting, you know.”
“I nominate Cathalina Van Buskirk,” said Hilary.
“I nominate Hilary Lancaster,” said Cathalina.
“No, I want to talk, Cathalina.”
“So do I, Hilary!”