“How under the sun did you know we were with Ray?” asked Polly, greatly astonished.
“I’ll tell you: you girls and Ray had not turned the corner of the street before I came dashing around the other corner to get to the store where you said you were all going to shop. Just inside the door I saw Mrs. Courtney, and I was thanking my lucky stars that I had not missed you—and this is the result.”
“Why did you want us?” asked Eleanor.
“Because, Captain Blake came on deck and told Dalky something went wrong down in the engine-room and it might be several hours before we could start. At that, I made up my mind to have one more lark on shore, and I hurried away to find you all.”
“Now that you have found us, let us have the lark,” laughed Ray.
“But now it is time to go back to the yacht!” growled Jack. “I have been wasting the two hours hunting for you—I haven’t had a thing to eat. Let’s go somewhere and keep ourselves from fainting.”
“We’re far from fainting,” laughed Eleanor; “we have been feasting.”
“You don’t mean it!” was Jack’s annoyed reply.
“And what’s more,” added Polly, “we are supposed to be on board the yacht by three.”
“Yeh, I know! Dalky called after me as I left, saying: ‘be sure and show up by three, Jack!’ and I suppose I will have to go back with an empty inside.” Jack’s tone was so plaintive that the girls laughed at him.