"Now, now, Betty," Frank protested laughingly, "don't exaggerate."
"I'm not," she denied indignantly. "We haven't lived in the outdoors for nothing, you know."
"Well, we shall have a chance to settle all disputes when we get to Pine Island," said Allen. "To change the subject—has anybody noticed that the sun has gone under a cloud and that there is a stiff little breeze coming up? I shouldn't wonder if we were in for a storm."
"Yes, we may need our bathing suits even before we get to the island," said Betty, ruefully. "I hope you didn't forget to bring your suit, Mrs. Irving," she added, turning to the chaperon, who had been singularly silent during the ride. Perhaps she was realizing for the first time the great responsibility she had taken upon herself. However, she spoke now, accompanying her words with a bright smile.
"Indeed I did," she said. "There is nothing I enjoy quite so much as a good swim. From what you girls say of the island we ought to have as many as we want."
"I am very much afraid we won't leave to wait till we get there," said Frank, regarding the sky anxiously. "Unless I am a pretty poor prophet we are in for a considerable spell of bad weather. What do you say, Allen?"
"I say you are right and then some," Allen answered emphatically. "I think it would be a pretty good stunt to get the top up, Frank, before the girls are deluged."
Accordingly Frank slowed down and waited for Mollie's trim little machine to catch up with them.
"What do you make of the weather?" asked Will, as they came up alongside. "Looks pretty threatening, don't you think?"
"If you don't want to get wet, you had better do what we are going to," Frank advised them. "Put your top up."