“As long as I am caught, I will admit that I withdrew into this shell to solve the problems of the universe, which being successfully solved, I want very much to go swimming,” Jane said, undoubling and emerging from her retreat.
Frances looked at her friend rather quizzically. “But it’s so unlike our Plain Jane to have problems. Is there anything that I can do? I mean in the way of solving? I’m rather eager to try that new position in thinking.”
“It was a very trying experience for me—that thinking—but, having come to the world-shaking conclusion that the only thing to do in a case like this is to do what you think is right, especially when what you think is right is what you want to do, I am not going to worry any more,” said Jane, catching the bathing suit Frances flung at her.
“What a wise but completely unintelligible Jane it is! But I suppose I must just abide my time and, finally, the secret will be revealed to your humble and admiring slave. Ah, well, I can wait if I have to. But let me say that I have suspected it ever since the night you asked me if I knew whether Breck had his slicker on or not,” said Frances solemnly.
“What in the world are you talking about?”
“Don’t you remember that night at Plymouth, when you went up in the graveyard by yourself, and when you came back I said you looked like you had had one million adventures? Well, when we returned to the boat it started raining, don’t you remember? And Mr. Wing and Breck went up on deck to see something about that interminable old anchor. I was just about asleep and you woke me up asking me if I knew whether Breck had a raincoat or not. ‘There is something strange about this,’ sez I to meself, sez I, and I have been a quiet but interested observer ever since.”
“You are a darling, Frances, and the world lost a great detective when we Camp Fire Girls made such a good friend,” and Jane gave her hand an affectionate little pat.
“Tell me all about it when you feel like it,” and, with Jane’s promise to do so soon, they went up on deck.
“You lazy ones put on your bathing suits and let’s take the tender and go over and see Tim’s boat. We can swim from the beach. I feel like the water won’t be so cold where it’s shallower,” Frances suggested.
The others, having heard Jane’s glowing account of the “Sabrina,” readily agreed. Soon they were off, leaving Breck, Mr. Wing and Tim to make Frederick Gray feel at home if he should come before the others got back, though, as Jane said, Fred had enough poise to carry off almost any situation.