That afternoon the boys and girls went in swimming and that evening Connie’s mother treated them all to a substantial dinner such as only she knew how to cook.
And the way it disappeared before those ravenous girls and boys made even Mr. Danvers hold up his hands in consternation. But Connie’s mother laughed happily, pressed them to eat everything up, “for it would only spoil,” and looked more than ever like Connie’s older sister.
That night the boys were put up in a spare room which contained one bed and two cots which Connie’s mother always kept stowed away for emergencies. For the cottage on Lighthouse Island was a popular place with Mrs. Danvers’ relatives and friends, and she often had unexpected company.
They went out on the porch a little while after supper, and the boys were at their funniest and kept the girls in a continual gale of merriment.
The time passed so quickly that before they knew it eleven o’clock chimed out from the hall inside and in consternation Connie’s mother hurried them all off to bed.
“To-morrow is another day,” she added with a little smile.
As they started up the stairs Teddy looked down at Billie and said boyishly:
“Say, Billie, you’ve got some sunburn, haven’t you? You’re—you’re mighty pretty.”
Then Teddy blushed and Billie blushed, and Billie hoped with all her heart that Laura had not heard it.
Laura had not, for she was talking and laughing with Paul Martinson and Connie. And so Billie, running ahead and reaching her room first, turned on the light and stepped over to the mirror.