“I’m here as an ambassador or something like that,” she announced. “That little sloop out there is yours, isn’t she?”
“Well, we’ll have ours here as soon as it’s towed over from Bay City. And we want to challenge you to a regular yacht race. I asked Miss Turner if we might, and she said yes.”
“I think that would be fine sport,” said Eleanor. “Dolly Ransom is skipper of our sloop. Suppose you talk it over with her.”
“I think it would be fine, Marcia!” said Dolly, with shining eyes. “I was just wishing for a race this morning. When shall we have it?”
“Why not this afternoon?” asked Marcia. “We could race out to the lighthouse on the rock out there and back. That’s not very far, but it’s far enough to make a good race, I should think.”
“Splendid!” said Dolly. “What sort of a boat is yours?”
“Just the same as yours, I think. We can see when they come, and if one is bigger than the other, we can arrange about a handicap. Miss Turner said she thought she ought to be in one boat, and Miss Mercer in the other.”
“Yes, I think so, too. And I’ll be skipper of our boat, and have Bessie King and Margery Burton for a crew. Who is your skipper?”
“Gladys Cooper,” answered Marcia, after a slight pause.
“Bully for her! Just you tell her I’m going to beat her so badly she won’t even know she’s in a race.”