However, they did at last get through eating and wandered out on the front porch, where Mrs. Gilligan could not scoff at their ideas, to discuss the doings of the night before.
But it was only a little while later that Mrs. Gilligan put another damper on their fun by announcing that some one would have to go to town for more provisions. The boy had failed to come that morning, and their supply of canned goods was running dangerously low.
"Let's all go," Chet suggested. "We could walk down and ride back."
"But, oh, Chet, it's so frightfully hot," Billie objected. "I'm sure we'd get sunstroke or something."
"Yes, it's a terribly long walk," added Violet.
"Well, we could wait till toward evening," said Ferd. "It wouldn't be so scorching then. I admit," he added, taking a slanting squint at the sun, "that even I am not eager to take a long hike just now."
"But toward evening we'll be preparing supper," objected Laura, and the boys threw up their hands in despair.
"Well, then we'll just have to go without you," said Teddy. "But it would be lots more fun if you'd come." This last was said to Billie and for her ear alone.
That afternoon the girls watched the boys down the road till they were out of sight, then turned back to the house with a strangely lonesome feeling.
"You know," said Violet, pausing on the doorstep and looking back at the girls with a rather sober face, "I have a sort of feeling that something's going to happen."