The fat little boy was staring about him in a blissful sort of maze,
holding a wooden shovel in one hand and the skirts of a young girl
with the other. Her back was turned to Jill, but something in the
long brown braid with a fly-away blue bow hanging down her back
looked very familiar to Jill. So did the gray suit and the Japanese
umbrella; but the hat was strange, and while she was thinking how
natural the boots looked, the girl turned round.
“Why, how much she looks like Molly! It can’t be–yes, it might, I
do believe it is!” cried Jill, starting up and hardly daring to trust
her own eyes.
As she came out of her nest and showed herself, there could be no
doubt about the other girl, for she gave one shout and came racing
over the beach with both arms out, while her hat blew off
unheeded, and the gay umbrella flew away, to the great delight of
all the little people except Boo, who was upset by his sister’s
impetuous rush, and lay upon his back howling. Molly did not do
all the running, though, and Jill got her wish, for, never stopping to
think of herself, she was off at once, and met her friend half-way
with an answering cry. Jr was a pretty sight to see them run into
one another’s arms and hug and kiss and talk and skip in such a
state of girlish joy they never cared who saw or laughed at their
innocent raptures.
“You darling dear! where did you come from?” cried Jill, holding
Molly by both shoulders, and shaking her a little to be sure she was
real.
“Mrs. Minot sent for us to spend a week. You look so well, I can’t
believe my eyes!” answered Molly, patting Jill’s cheeks and kissing
them over and over, as if to make sure the bright color would not
come off.
“A week? How splendid! Oh, I’ve such heaps to tell and show you;
come right over to my cubby and see how lovely it is,” said Jill,
forgetting everybody else in her delight at getting Molly.
“I must get poor Boo, and my hat and umbrella, I left them all
behind me when I saw you,” laughed Molly, looking back.
But Mrs. Minot and Jack had consoled Boo and collected the
scattered property, so the girls went on arm in arm, and had a fine
time before anyone had the heart to disturb them. Molly was
charmed with the boat, and Jill very glad the box was done in
season. Both had so much to tell and hear and plan, that they
would have sat there for ever if bathing-time had not come, and
the beach suddenly looked like a bed of red and yellow tulips, for
everyone took a dip, and the strangers added much to the fun.
Molly could swim like a duck, and quite covered herself with glory
by diving off the pier. Jack undertook to teach Boo, who was a
promising pupil, being so plump that he could not sink if he tried.
Jill was soon through, and lay on the sand enjoying the antics of
the bathers till she was so faint with laughter she was glad to hear
the dinner-horn and do the honors of the Willows to Molly, whose
room was next hers.
Boat-races came first in the afternoon, and the girls watched them,
sitting luxuriously in the nest, with the ladies and children close
by. The sailing-matches were very pretty to see; but Molly and Jill
were more interested in the rowing, for Frank and the bicycle boy
pulled one boat, and the friends felt that this one must win. It did,
though the race was not very exciting nor the prize of great worth;
but the boys and girls were satisfied, and Jack was much exalted,
for he always told Frank he could do great things if he would only
drop books and “go in on his muscle.”
Foot-races followed, and, burning to distinguish himself also, Jack
insisted on trying, though his mother warned him that the weak leg
might be harmed, and he had his own doubts about it, as he was all