“Oh, I hope he is much better now,” said Harriet. “But he sometimes does get ill, and then of course I am anxious.”
“’Course you are, poor Harriet,” said Ralph, taking her hand and stroking it softly.
“Well, girls,” said Harriet, looking at the others; “who’s going to bathe, and who isn’t?”
Two or three elected to get into their bathing things, and go into the water. The little cove was absolutely sheltered. The water was like glass. Some of the children were accustomed to sea-bathing, some were not. Harriet began eagerly to question.
“Who can swim?” she asked.
“I can,” said Frederica.
“And I a little bit,” said Rose Amberley.
“And I can’t,” said Robina; “but all the same, I am going to bathe if the rest of you do.”
“And who said you were not to bathe?” asked Harriet. “It will do you good, I think, for you look so hot and dusty.”
“Yes, I believe it would do me a lot of good,” said Robina, and as she spoke she took off her hat and twisting up her thick hair, knotted it firmly at the back of her head.