"I hope she's quite well," said Corey. "I supposed--I was afraid she might be out of town."
"Well, we are off to Nantasket next week. The house kept us in town pretty late."
"It must be very exciting, building a house," said Corey to the elder sister.
"Yes, it is," she assented, loyally refusing in Irene's interest the opportunity of saying anything more.
Corey turned to the latter. "I suppose you've all helped to plan it?"
"Oh no; the architect and mamma did that."
"But they allowed the rest of us to agree, when we were good," said Penelope.
Corey looked at her, and saw that she was shorter than her sister, and had a dark complexion.
"It's very exciting," said Irene.
"Come up," said the Colonel, rising, "and look round if you'd like to."