Mollie gave the directions for finding the garage which her aunt had written. A minute later they drew up before the place and tumbled out, bag and baggage, in obedience to Frank's instructions.
While the boys were in the garage talking to the proprietor, the girls had a chance to look about them.
"Isn't it lovely?" cried Mollie delightedly. "It looks just like the little colored pictures of towns they have in the magazines sometimes. The same quaint little frame houses with green shutters and well-kept lawns in front----"
"And flower beds with borders of white shells," Amy finished for her. "I know just what you mean, Mollie; I've seen them myself."
"Girls," said Betty, jumping up from the overturned suitcase she was using for a seat, and speaking impressively, "I have a feeling----" here she paused for effect. "I have a feeling," she continued, "that we are going to have a good time."
"Humph," snorted Mollie. "Why don't you tell us something we don't know?"
"Get off the luggage, you girls!" Will commanded, good-naturedly. "The man in there says we have just exactly five minutes to catch that joke steamer for the island, and if he is right, we've got to hustle. Sling over that bag, Sis, will you?"
"With the greatest of pleasure," said Grace. "But will somebody kindly tell me how we are going to make that boat in five minutes?"
"By running like the very wind," Frank declared, and, picking up two suitcases in one hand, he propelled Grace down the street with the other. "Please hurry," he urged. "Never mind about your hats, girls. It will soon be so dark nobody will be able to see them."
"Shall we give them a race?" asked Allen of Betty, as they prepared to follow Roy, who had taken both Mollie and their gay little chaperon in tow.
"Let's," said Betty with dancing eyes. "Nobody knows us here and I wouldn't care if they did--better people than you and I have run for boats before, Allen."
"Oh, I don't know," he said, argumentatively. "Just as good, possibly, but never better."
"All right, have it your own way," she laughed. "Now do we begin? One--two--three--come on. We'll beat them even with the head start."
Off they raced, light and graceful and buoyantly alive. It was no task at all to overtake Roy, who was hampered by gasping little Mrs. Irving--who, although young, was not--_so_ young. Next came Amy and Will, running easily, but Allen and Betty passed them as if they had been standing still.