"And you tried to swim too far," added Mollie. "That's the reason your poor old muscles protested."
"It might have happened to any one of us," Grace agreed. "All we need is a little practice to swim as well as ever again."
"Oh, do you think so?" asked Amy eagerly, while the color came back into her pale cheeks. "If I could only be sure of that!"
Betty was about to reply, but at that minute a voice hailed them from the direction of the house and they jumped up to see what was wanted.
"It's mother," said Grace. "And she seems to be waving something at us."
"It's an envelope," cried Mollie. "It may be a letter from mother."
She started running toward the house, with Grace, thinking of Will, at her heels, while Betty helped Amy to her feet.
"Are you feeling stronger now?" she asked. "Or would you rather rest a little longer?"
"Oh, I'm all right," Amy assured her, though for a minute she had to cling to Betty for support.
They made their way rather slowly after the others. Before they had reached the foot of the bluff Mollie came scrambling down again and ran toward them wildly.