"No," replied Martine firmly, "this isn't a picnic. We are just going off to work a little, and enjoy ourselves."
"I like that. As if I would interfere. Atherton will be along in a minute, and he would enjoy the excursion too."
"No," repeated Martine, with increasing firmness. "We have made our plans. We wish to go by ourselves."
Clare, who saw no good reason for Martine's attitude toward Herbert, yet thought it wiser not to interfere.
Herbert, who so seldom was out of temper, now seemed offended.
"Very well," he said abruptly, "I won't trouble you," and turning on his heel, he walked away.
"I can't help it," explained Martine in answer to Clare's look of wonder. "One boy, or two, for that matter, would be terribly in the way in a little trip like this. Here's the car, and I am glad enough to be off."
Now it happened that Carlotta and another girl who knew Martine went as far as Kittery on the same car. On their return to York they found Herbert on the links.
"You were on the same car with Martine; did she say where she was going with Grace?" he asked abruptly.
"She mentioned Newcastle," replied Carlotta. "They will cross on the ferry, and may row back across the river."