we'll
eat it before we go back."

"Yes, I'll do that," answered Eunice, after considering a moment. And
then they called to Cricket.

"We--won't--eat--any--luncheon--till you--get--here. Can--you--wait?"

"Have--to!" called back Cricket, cheerfully. "Will--it--be--long?"

"Three--or--four--hours!" answered Edna. "Keep--as--still--as--you--can,
--so--the--boat--won't--sink. _Can_ she keep still?" added Edna, to
Eunice.

"I think so," answered Eunice, somewhat doubtfully, it must be
confessed. Then they sat down, and, opening their luncheon, selected a
small sandwich each. It really took considerable self-control not to
satisfy two hearty appetites, then and there, for the luncheon looked
very tempting. But Eunice resolutely put the basket away.

"What will auntie think?" asked Eunice, anxiously, glancing toward the
shore. "It's dinner-time, I guess."

"There are the boys, now," cried Edna. "Yes, it's dinner-time, and
they've come down to see where we are." She stood up and waved her
bureau cover. The boys, catching sight of the signal, waved frantically
in return. Presently, all the others, grandma, auntie, old Billy, and
the children, were seen to gather there. The boys ran up and down the
beach, then all the figures clustered together, evidently holding a
council of war.

"There's just nothing to be done," sighed Edna, "except to wait for the
water."

"Wait for the water, and we'll all take a ride," sang Eunice. "It's
really much harder for them to be anxious about us, and about Cricket,
than for us to be here. And hardest of all for Cricket. For pity's sake!
what is the child doing?"

In watching the shore people, they had forgotten for a moment the
stranded boat and its small occupant. As they looked again, they saw she
had stuck the oars in the mud, blade down, and was now evidently lashing
them to the oar-locks. This done, she stood up and slipped off the blue
flannel skirt of her little sailor suit, standing up in her short white
petticoat. She hung the skirt by the hem over the oars, and immediately
she had a very fair substitute for a tent, to shield her from the
blazing sun. Then, apparently quite contented, she sat down in the
bottom of the boat, adjusting the cushion from the stern seat, for a
back. She had her face towards the island, and, when she was comfortably
settled, she waved her hand, crying out:

"Isn't--this--exciting?
I'm--playing--I'm--Marco--Bozzaris--in--his--shrouded--tent."