The next day was such an anxious one for the children, who were waiting for the appearance of Mr. Ravenwood in his motor boat with the dog he had found, that Mrs. Brown finally said:
"Come, kiddies, we'll go for a little picnic down on the beach."
"May Harry come?" asked Bunny, for Harry was over at the bungalow playing with Bunny and Sue.
"Yes. And we'll invite Harry's mother and Bunker Blue and Uncle Tad," said Mrs. Brown. "We'll spend the afternoon on the beach. It will make the time pass more quickly."
Indeed the time did seem to drag for Bunny, Sue, and Harry. They did not know just what time to expect Mr. Ravenwood in his boat, to claim his box and to bring the strange dog. Every now and again the children would ask:
"When do you think he'll come?"
Then, at last, Mrs. Brown had decided on the picnic as a means of keeping them quiet.
Picnics were often held at Christmas Tree Cove, and could be quickly got up. All that was necessary to do was to put up a lunch and go down to one of the many nice places on the beach.
Harry was sent over to the hotel to ask his mother if he might go, and also to invite her to be one of the party, and soon Mrs. Slater was on her way back to Bark Lodge with her little son.
"It is very nice of you, Mrs. Brown, to ask us," said Mrs. Slater.