“I believe you are right, Polly,” said Eleanor. “And if it turns out that Elizabeth Dalken becomes a member of our cruising party, it will behoove us to protect Mrs. Courtney from her thrusts, and spare her as many bites from the sharp tongue which we know Elizabeth wags as is possible for us to do.”
With Elizabeth gone the others in the group gathered at Mr. Dalken’s apartment felt freer to talk over plans and propositions for the yachting trip the host so magnanimously offered. Before they said good-night and departed from Mr. Dalken’s that evening, it was agreed to try out the plan presented by Polly and Eleanor. Should they find it disagreeable, by the time they reached Panama, they could continue the cruise to Japan from that point.
CHAPTER II—“THEY’RE OFF!”
The result of that evening’s discussion at Mr. Dalken’s apartment was soon revealed to those interested in the cruise. After certain sundry meetings at different places such as Ashby’s Shop where the friends grouped in Polly’s office, at Fabian’s dinner table, and at Mrs. Ashby’s home of an evening, it was decided that the trip outlined by Polly and Eleanor at Mr. Dalken’s dinner party was the most alluring of any. Hence it was agreed to follow their plan.
Once it was decided to cruise to South America the next question to decide was when to start. Unanimously it was agreed to start the following week. The yacht needed no overhauling as it was always kept in perfect order to sail at a few hours’ notice. Mr. Dalken seemed anxious to get away from the City, saying his doctor ordered him to go without delay, and the girls were more than anxious to get away.
The days following the sudden decision to start in a week’s time, were filled with hurrying, scurrying females of the party, especially Elizabeth Dalken. She shopped as if she expected to visit an Emperor and attend Court instead of going on board her father’s private Yacht for a pleasure trip to South America.
Everybody felt it necessary to advise everybody else about what to take and what not to take. It seemed to Polly that the days fairly crept by, instead of galloping past as they had been wont to do in the last three years. But everything comes to an end—even long, tedious waiting for a certain day to arrive. And then the day came—a day of unusual sunshine and balmy breezes: a perfect day for a sea voyage to begin.
To the two eager girls who waved last goodbys to the maids at the Fabian home it seemed that there never had been such a crowded week of work as the one just finished. As the auto started to the Yacht Club wharf, even Mr. Fabian, usually so peaceful and quiet, sighed as if he, too, felt thankful that the rush and confusion was over.
“Goodness me! Look at the crowd waiting on the dock to see us off!” cried Polly, looking from the window of the car.
Eleanor looked and exclaimed at the unexpected number of groups, whereas it had been expected that only a few of the young men would be present to bid the girls goodby. Mr. and Mrs. Ashby and Ruth, Mrs. Courtney and Elizabeth Dalken expected to be on board the yacht; and Eleanor Maynard’s father from Chicago had wired that he would wait at Jacksonville, Florida, for them to pick him up, as he had found it impossible to leave his banking affairs in time to start with them from New York. Polly’s father and mother were at Pebbly Pit and they wired their regrets that they could not join the merry mariners, but John and Anne expected to arrive in New York in time to say goodby to the party. Then where could these many people have come from? It was soon explained.