CHAPTER XVIII
WATER SPRITES
The sunbeams danced across the shimmering water and into the room where the Outdoor Girls lay sleeping. They made patches on the floors and ceiling, and showered Mollie's face with golden darts.
She moved restlessly and raised her hand as though to ward off this invader of her dreams, muttering softly, "Oh—don't——" Gradually she passed from sleeping to waking and, realizing the cause of the disturbance, sat up in bed with a start.
"Oh, the world's on fire with sunshine! What a day to swim! Now, as soon as I can rouse these sleeping beauties, I'll proceed to get breakfast."
"Oh, A—my!" she called aloud, giving the bed such a thump that Amy's eyes sprung wide open on the instant—wide and startled. "Are you going to sleep for-ever? Oh, I'm hungry!" with which words she sprang out of bed and began dressing hastily.
For once Amy seemed to agree with her chum, for the moonlight sail of the night before with only Grace's candies to nibble on had left them ravenous.
"All right," she said, sitting up and looking toward the bed in the far corner of the big room. "Betty and Grace are just yawning themselves awake. We ought to beat them dressed easily."
"We don't care," came Betty's sleepy voice. "Whoever gets down first has to get the breakfast, you know."