Marcia laughed.
“All right,” she said. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready.”
“Now, then, Bessie,” said Dolly, “just you come out with me to the sloop in that skiff, and I’ll show you just what you’ll have to do. It won’t be hard–you’ll only have to obey orders. But you’d better know the names of the ropes, so that you’ll understand my orders when I give them.”
So for an hour Bessie, delighted with the appearance of the trim little sloop, took lessons from Dolly in the art of handling small sailing craft.
“You’ll get along all right,” said Dolly, as they pulled back to the beach. “Don’t get excited. That’s the only thing to remember. We’ll wear our bathing suits, of course, so that if we get spilled into the water, there’ll be no harm done.”
“We’ve got a good chance of being spilled, too,” said Margery. “I know how Dolly likes to sail a boat. So if you don’t want a ducking, you’d better make her take someone else in your place.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” said Bessie, happily. “I’ve never even seen a yacht race. I bet it must be lots of fun.”
“It won’t be rough, anyhow,” said Eleanor, after they had landed. She looked out to sea. “It’s pretty hazy out there, Dolly. Think there’ll be enough wind?”
“Oh, yes,” said Dolly. “Plenty! It won’t be stiff, of course, and we won’t make good time, but that doesn’t make any difference. It’s as good for them as for us–and the other way round.”