“By steamer, grandfather says. To New York, then to Boston, and then up to Maine. We will have to take it in sections. And Aunty Welcome is going with us, and grandfather too.”
“Are you certain this island is suitable for you to live on? Perhaps there is only a boathouse there.”
“We’ll just have to wait and find out,” said Polly, hopefully.
“Have you figured out the cost at all?”
“Oh, it won’t be much over two dollars a week for each of us, Kate says. Lots of people have house parties, you know, so grandfather says this is to be my yacht club party. As soon as we get there, we will organize properly, and see what the place is like. Isn’t it comical,” went on Polly, with one of her swift characteristic swerves in the conversation, “every one of the girls, Mrs. Lee, has gone at the plan in her own way! Ruth is designing our yachting suits. What do you think they are? Dark blue duck, with middy blouses, and big white collars with blue anchors on the corners; and for best, white duck suits with dark blue collars. We’re going to take two kinds of hats with us: big, rough straw sun hats to wear on the beach, and white duck hats for yachting, with turned down brims. Isn’t that a good idea? Ruth’s aunt is a dressmaker, and offered to do all the cutting and fitting for us, and Kate can run a sewing machine, so there we are. I tell you, this commonwealth plan is a splendid one when it comes to saving money.”
Mrs. Lee joined in her laughter, and asked about how much luggage they were going to carry.
“No trunks at all,” answered Polly. “I think we can manage with suitcases. Two of the Seniors we know at Calvert Hall did Belgium and Holland last year with suitcases. It saves a lot of bother if you have to change cars, or boats, as we will. Ruth says she doesn’t care what she wears. She’s going to have morning classes for the rest of us, on shells, and fishes, and mermaids, and all that sort of thing, and Kate has her kodak, and we’re going to develop our own snapshots.”
“Well, I suppose Isabel will have to go, but I shall add as my contribution to the outfit—life preservers and water wings—just to be sure you will be safe.”
“Water wings,” thought Polly all the way home. “I wonder what those are. I’ll ask Ruth.”
Sue came down to Glenwood that afternoon, and the two sat on the box couch up in Polly’s room, a “Ways and Means Committee of two,” so the Admiral said.