The first campers were due to arrive the second week in June, but everything was in complete readiness long before that time. The girls never wearied of making their tours of inspection to be sure nothing had been overlooked, and each time it seemed as if they added a few more finishing touches.
Becky declared it was all so inviting that she felt like closing up the big house and coaxing the Judge to camp out with her.
Kit and Doris were in one of the cabins that was on a little jutting point of land near the Peckham mill. Here, the river swept out in a wide U-shaped curve that was crowned with gray rocks and pines. The music of the falls reached it, and the road was only about a quarter of a mile across the fields to the north, but apparently it was completely isolated.
All at once Tommy came tearing around the rock path, his eyes wide with excitement, his whole manner full of mystery.
“There’s a car just stopped in the road,” he exclaimed, “and the man in it asked me who lived in the cabin over here.”
“I never supposed anyone could see that cabin from the road.” Kit’s tone held a distinct note of disappointment. “What did he want to sell us, Tommy, lightning rods or sewing machines?”
“Aw, Kit, quit it,” pleaded Tommy. “He’s really in earnest, and he’s coming over here right now. I told him all about everything, and he thinks he might want to rent one.”
Kit’s face brightened up at this. “Lead me, Tommy, to this first paying guest. Doris, don’t you dare to say anything to spoil the inviting picture which I shall give him. I don’t see what more he could want.” She hesitated a moment, surveying the river, almost directly below the sloping rock. “Why, he could almost sit up in bed in the morning and haul in his fishing line from that river with a fine catch for breakfast on it.”
“Oh, hurry, Kit, and stop wasting time,” Tommy begged. “He’s really awfully nice, and he’s in earnest, I know he is.”
So Kit followed Tommy across the fields to the road where the automobile was waiting. The man must have been about forty years old, but with his closely cut dark hair and alert smile he appeared much younger. He wore no hat, and was deeply tanned. It seemed to Kit at first glance as though she had never seen eyes so full of keen curiosity and genial friendliness.