Out of the Niagara River into Lake Ontario the steamer moved, and it was not long before the water front of Toronto appeared through gathering fog and evening shadows.
“Does Betty know that we’re coming tonight?”
“I think not, unless she looks up the time-tables. She knows that she is to leave tomorrow afternoon, and that we are to be at the Queen’s Hotel. You will have plenty of time to visit with Betty on the boat tomorrow and the rest of the way,—let us have a good night’s rest, enjoy seeing Toronto tomorrow morning,—”
“O, please, Miss West,” begged Cathalina. “Just let us call her up!”
“We shall see,” returned Miss West, weakening a little.
But by the time they had reached the Queen’s Hotel, nice conservative old place with an English atmosphere and a “royal suite,” the girls only wanted to get to bed as soon as possible.
“I’m on foreign soil,” sleepily murmured June as Hilary tucked her in, and Hilary herself was too sleepy to laugh.
CHAPTER II
DOMINION DAY IN CANADA
When Lilian woke the next morning, she dreamily looked toward the light of a grey, rainy morning and noticed the lace curtains stirring in the breeze. “How appropriate,” thought she, “a crown and ‘The Queen’s’ woven in the pattern.” She glanced at Hilary and June sleeping in the double bed near. “Here we are, then, in Canada,” closing her eyes. “I wonder if Philip will come up to camp as he said he would ... isn’t he fine?... how dark his eyes are ... I wonder ...” and Lilian dozed off into an enchanting dream of motoring somewhere with Philip Van Buskirk, not waking till Cathalina, who fit nicely right into the dream, was shaking her and saying, “Wake up, Canada Lily, do you know we’ll disgrace our nation and not get down before the dining room closes!”
Rested from their warm baths and good sleep of the night, fresh, smiling girls gathered in the breakfast room of “The Queen’s”. Miss West was proud of them and their quiet, dignified behaviour.