“I’m going to have school and a little athletics during the year, and camp in the summer, with lots of it, if I can, after this.”
About ten o’clock the girls started for Boothbay. As this was a very popular picnic, held annually, nobody but a few councillors remained at home. The boats went down the river with the girls singing as usual, the weather propitious, young hearts gay.
“Shall we have a visit with Campbell, Hilary?” asked June, who had been quite taken with the young man.
Lilian glanced roguishly at Hilary, who had replied soberly to June. “Yes, perhaps so, but I think that he will be quite busy with the entertaining and all.”
“Probably he will have a few minutes for you and Hilary, June,” said Lilian. June perceived that there was some undercurrent of mischief, but not understanding just what, subsided.
“I wish Philip were here,” said Hilary, “don’t you, Lilian?”
“Cathalina’s the one who would wish so the most,” said June, “because he’s her brother.”
“Can’t the rest of us like him too?” asked Hilary, who was rather regretting her blunt retort to Lilian’s teasing.
“O, yes; we all couldn’t help liking Philip, but sisters, of course, are nearest.”
At this the girls smiled and Cathalina said, “I forgot to tell you all about my letter from Philip. I read it in a hurry just before we left. Somebody must have brought up some mail late last night, because I looked just before we went to our klondike and there was nothing for any of us in the box. He wrote that he met Lilian’s brother in New York the other day. They just happened to be at lunch at the same place and were eating away without knowing each other, when in walked Judge North, and sat down by Dick, saying that he found he could get away from somewhere after all. Then he spied Philip and Philip saw him. They had met at Rochester, you know. Dick is reading law with his father, isn’t he, Lilian?”