Mr. Douane said he was sure Gretel would be glad to go, and added that he himself, was obliged to go away for the day, to attend to some business in the neighborhood.
“Then why not let your sister spend the day with us?” exclaimed Mrs. Barlow. “That will be a charming plan, and the children will be so happy. We have only been here two days, and they have not had an opportunity of making any little friends as yet. You are staying at the ‘Chamberlain,’ I suppose?”
Mr. Douane replied that they were.
“We go there for our meals,” said Mrs. Barlow, “but have taken a cottage for the season. The children are just over scarlet fever, and are not to return to school this spring. Would you like to spend the day with us, dear?” she added, kindly, turning to Gretel.
Gretel said she would like it very much.
“Very well, then, you shall come with us to the fort, and afterwards go back to the cottage. We shall all have a very happy day, I am sure, Mr. Douane.”
So the matter was settled, and a few minutes later Gretel was walking away to the fort with her new friends, while Mr. Douane hurried off to catch his train, and Higgins was left to return to the hotel by herself.
“Now, children, you are all to walk together, and make friends,” said Mrs. Barlow, taking command of the party, and accordingly the three children started on ahead, while their elders brought up the rear.
For several minutes they walked on in perfect silence. Jerry and Geraldine were regarding their new acquaintance critically, and Gretel was beginning to wonder if both her companions could possibly be dumb, when Geraldine at last broke silence with the question:
“Did you come in the boat?”