“Yes. One more strange thing that has developed on top of the accident,” explained Jean, who never missed the critical aspect of anything, “is the evolution of Mary. She’s as wise as an owl, as quick as a wink and——”
“As strong as a lion,” finished up Pat, smacking her lips gleefully.
“I always thought she was posing——”
But Jean got no further. She was wilted by the flash of the many condemning eyes.
“Be human, Jean,” whispered Maud Hunter. “The idols are changing. Can’t you see Glo, Trix and Mary are the new trio?” Maud was just human enough herself to enjoy the dethronement of Jean.
“What I can’t fathom,” returned Pat, who had propped herself up on Gloria’s left and was now licking a home-made lollypop, “is why you dashed out, risking life and limb, after what seemed to be an empty canoe? Why, I ask you?”
“Just the sailor’s instinct of rescuing anything helpless on the water,” said Gloria quietly. “The canoe seemed to be having a good time but it couldn’t make shore——”
“Comes of being born a hero! A real, natural hero,” interjected Edna. “I have always heard that the——”
“Needle of a mariner’s compass always points north,” paraphrased Janet. “Edna, we can’t exactly build bon-fires and have parades until Jack is able to tell her story, so save some ammunition.”
“Jack’s story!” repeated Edna excitedly. “Oh, what a thrill that’ll be!”