A queer sort of secret for girls, this seemed to be, but Cara could not possibly disclose her part in it, and she knew perfectly well that Babs was not likely to say anything about hers.
CHAPTER XV
THE SANTA MARIA
That incident, simple as it seemed to be, immediately cast its spell over the two girls. Barbara was so upset by it, whatever it was, that she could hardly keep her mind on the quilts and tidies. Cara simply sat down in one of the big rockers—it was there for exhibition purposes only—and she declared she wasn’t going to do another thing. Louise and Ruth were so curious they didn’t know what they were doing, so that the girls’ committee became suddenly very inefficient.
“It’s too late to do anything else anyhow,” Cara declared. “Let’s go home.”
To this all gladly agreed, all but Barbara. She insisted upon staying until her father called for her, but her real motive was to fix things up quietly when her willing but excited companions had gone. Every one wanted to help, but so many around merely lent confusion, and, as chairman, Barbara felt a certain responsibility.
So it happened she was still waiting and all alone when Miss Davis—the twin Miss Davis—came along trying to hide something beneath the folds of her old-fashioned black cape.
“I brought it in spite of her,” she confided to Barbara. “Sister Tillie is such a crank. But I was determined to show it.”
“Yes?” replied Barbara questioningly.
“Our great-grandfather made it,” she went on, meanwhile bringing forth from its hiding place a small wooden ship model.
“Yes, it is lovely. And it’s priceless. It’s a model that was made in a war prison, and we have had all sorts of offers to sell it, but, of course, we would never part with it. You see, I’m so proud of it I just couldn’t miss the chance to show it off.”