No word had come from the scouting party on Grizzly Slide, but Mrs. Brewster said she had no idea of hearing from them until they had completed their investigations and returned home. Polly and Eleanor were well tired out when they reached the house, after their visit to the beavers, and made no demur when early bed was suggested to them.
Sunday was a glorious day and the girls bustled around rearranging the living-room, and seeing that the hammock with its cushions and the wicker porch chairs, were invitingly placed. Their own appearance had been seriously discussed so that both girls felt suitably dressed when the time came for the young surveyors to arrive.
Eleanor had loaned Polly one of her prettiest organdies, and had arranged her really beautiful hair becomingly. Silk stockings now encased Polly's shapely limbs, and her new low shoes looked twice as well with the sheen of silk above them.
Eleanor wore a dress similar to the one Polly had on, and tried to appear as like her as possible, so that no unfair advantage should arise from appearances. Barbara smiled scornfully at what she considered "childishness" in Eleanor. "Why should she want to have Polly look as well as she could? And why bother, anyway, to dress up for a nobody like Kenneth Evans? Of course, it would be all right for Jim Latimer—if he were at home—but not in the wilderness. Chances were that the boys would wear everyday working clothes." But all her "cold water" failed to dampen the spirits of the girls.
The hour for the boys' expected appearance came and went but no sound of horse-hoof was heard echoing from the rocky trail that led past the Cliffs.
"Why! It is now eleven, and they were to be here at ten-thirty," remarked Eleanor, hearing the old clock strike the hour.
"Are you sure that that foolish-looking boy understood he was to tell Jim about coming here Sunday?" asked Barbara, feeling rather pleased that the girls felt fidgety over the nonappearance of their company.
"He wasn't foolish-looking at all! In fact I never saw such a fine head with such intelligence as he had," retorted Eleanor.
"Come on, Nolla, let's walk down to the Cliffs and sit up on the 'Guards' where we can see the trail all the way to Bear Forks," suggested Polly, jumping up from the chair.
"All right! we may meet them before we get there," added Eleanor.