“We must introduce ourselves to you, so you can tell one from the other,” she said. “This is Ruth Brooks. Sometimes we call her Grandma. She is our instructress in conchology, and also librarian, and acts as ballast for the entire establishment.”
“Polly, stop using such big words,” laughed Ted. “Polly loves big words. She told me once that Napoleon and the Admiral always used them, so she was going to.”
Polly went on merrily. “This is Isabel Moore, our mirror of fashion, Lady Vanitas. She should have been Solomon’s favorite daughter and shared his raiment. Kate, look around this way please, because your Greek profile is your strongest point. It is pure Greek, isn’t it?” she appealed to their caller, and he nodded delightedly. “Miss Julian is our club chaperon, and also the ship’s husband for the entire fleet, and also the Imperial Keeper of the Memory Log. If it were not for her and for Isabel, the rest of us would be just Girl Fridays on a desert isle. Jane Daphne Adams, where art thou?” Crullers rose from a hammock, her hair tousled like a Scotch terrier’s. “Crullers, have you been asleep?” Polly demanded, and Crullers nodded drowsily. The other girls laughed mischievously. It was just like Crullers to fall sound asleep at an important time. But Polly went on just the same. “This is Crullers, or Jane Daphne Adams, who fell overboard—”
“And woke to find herself famous, while they pumped out the salt water,” put in Sue, gravely.
“There are two more, Mr. Smuggler Man,” laughed Polly, “but I daren’t present them. Their names are Ted and Sue, and one is just as bad as the other.”
“Polly Page!” came an indignant gasp from the living-room, where Ted had retreated to help Aunty arrange the tea-tray daintily. “Just you wait till I come out there.”
“I am delighted to meet you all,” the Unknown said heartily. “I am certain this is the most unique club roster in the world. But you haven’t introduced yourself.”
“Let me, please,” Ted’s curly red hair showed at the open window. “Miss Polly Page, of Glenwood, Queen’s Landing, Virginia; Commodore of the Polly Page Yacht Club, Founder of the Hungry Six, Volunteer Life Saver of Eagle Bay—let’s see, anything else, girls?”
“Custodian of the Club Chafing Dish,” Sue added.
“Oh, stop, please, girls; I’ll be good, truly,” pleaded the Commodore, flushing and laughing at the way they had turned the tables on her. All her strategy had not resulted in the stranger’s revealing his name.