"So have I," admitted her sister. "But of course they are safe!"
"Of course," echoed Cora, and yet there was a vague fear within her—a fear that, somehow or other, in spite of her effort for self-control, communicated itself to her voice.
"Let's go out,"' suggested Belle. "I'm tired of being cooped up here."
"Where are the boys?" asked Cora. "Really we oughtn't to go out so much without them. We'll become talked about!"
"Never!" laughed Bess. "We are Americans, and everything is possible to us."
The others laughed. Before coming to Porto Rico, they had read books about the island, in which stress was laid on Spanish customs, especially about ladies going about without a male member of their family, or some one to serve as a duenna. But our friends were too sensible to be hampered by that custom, save at night.
"The boys are probably off enjoying themselves," said Cora. "Jack is so much better. It has done him a world of good down here. We may meet them. Come on, let's go out. Oh, there's the sun!"
It was shining for the first time since the storm began, and the girls hastened to take advantage of it.
"Where's Inez?" asked Belle.
"Lying down, she had a little headache," explained Bess. "We won't disturb her, and we won't be gone long."