“Keep quiet, I have a good mind not to tell you after all. But I am such a nice girl I suppose I’ll have to. It’s from Mabel Wing. Now, let me finish,” pleaded Jane.
“Dearest Jane:
“As long as Ellen Birch is staying with you, read this to her, as I am so busy I’ll never have time to write two letters saying exactly the same thing. I am sending one to Ruth Garnier with the request that she read hers to Frances Bliss, who is staying at her home.
“And telegraph me whether you will or won’t, but please do. I always do things backwards even in letters. What I mean is Daddy is going to give me a cruise on his yacht and I want you and Ellen and Jack to come. We will leave City Island, N. Y., July the first, and go till we get bored, up to the Maine coast and poke around all those little islands that Daddy says grow in the New England waters.
“Don’t bring any clothes, as there never is any place to stow more than the bare essentials. And make Jack bring his banjo and, of course, your bathing suits and Camp Fire clothes.
“I’ll be so disappointed I’ll die if you don’t.
Hastily,
“Mabel.”
“As if you couldn’t tell it was ‘hastily, Mabel,’” Jack laughed. “But I have no idea of bringing your bathing suits and Camp Fire regalia.”
“Goose! That is just the Mabel of it. She writes just as she talks,” explained his sister.
“What fun for all of us! But we must telegraph right away,” said the practical Ellen.
“Here comes Father now,” and Jane pointed to a red-wheeled buggy and a briskly trotting bay horse driven up the shady approach to the Pellews’ home by the master of the house.
The three of them ran across to meet Mr. Pellew, a man beloved by his children’s friends as much as he was respected and loved by his own.
“Daddy dear, Mabel wants—” began Jane.
“It will be wonderful!” put in Ellen.
“Is it all right with you if I go too, Dad?” Jack interrupted both girls.