It took hardly ten minutes to cross the bay at its narrow end, with a good wind to help, and before the girls had time to run up to the cottage and dress, the Nixie was at the landing, with reefed sails.
“Mamma sent us over,” Dorothy exclaimed, as soon as she stepped ashore. “The Portland brought a consignment of fruit for the club last night, and papa sends you over a basket of it with his compliments.”
The girls bore the heavy basket up to the porch and promptly explored its contents. There was a large watermelon, some canteloupes, peaches and pears, and a box of stuffed dates.
“Mamma put those in because she says she knows what girls like,” said Bess, perching herself on the porch railing contentedly. “And what do you think? We’ve teased and begged to be allowed to come over here with you for regatta week, and now we may if you will let us. You can get a better view of the bay from this porch than you can from the club.”
“Well, young lady, you’ll get your view of the race from the stern locker of the Nixie,” said Dorothy, firmly. “Polly won’t allow us in the club unless we agree to race for the glory of it, will you?”
“No, ma’am,” returned Polly, serenely, as she knelt down, and spread out several newspapers.
“What are you going to do, Polly?” asked Isabel, who believed firmly in the fitness of things. “Oh, don’t cut into the melon out here, dear. Put it on the ice, and let it cool.”
“Put it on the ice!” Polly repeated, with fine scorn. “Listen to her, girls. You’d think we had a whole refrigerator handy. Dorothy, all the ice we own is wrapped up in Ruth’s old waterproof cape, in a tub down in the cellar. It’s about the size of a pincushion, and if I were to set this watermelon on it, it would just evaporate. We will eat the melon now to save it.”
“It’s plenty cold,” Dorothy helped lift the melon down on the papers. “But, Polly, will it be all right if we come over and stay for regatta week?”
“It will, and we’ll be ever and ever so glad to have you. It’s very stylish, Isabel, to entertain guests during a regatta week. Will you please bring along your own blankets, as we haven’t enough to go ’round.”