better. Likely as not she's rowed
over to Plymouth and forgotten us entirely. Let's go up and see if we
can see her from the top of the rocks."

Accordingly they climbed to the highest point. It was high noon now, by
the sun, and very hot. Not a sail was in sight, nor even a rowboat
anywhere.

Everybody had evidently been driven in by the heat, which was intense.
The tide was going out, and soon a mud-flat would lie between them and
the home shore.

"Gracious, isn't it sizzling hot!" cried Eunice, shading her eyes. "The
heat just quavers up from these rocks. I believe a coffee-pot would boil
if you put it on top of my head. Where _is_ Cricket?"

"The tide is going out very fast," said Edna, anxiously. "Look at the
high-water mark. If we're not off here in less than half an hour we have
to wait till the tide is up again. That's a nice prospect, too, to stay
here and broil all the afternoon."

"Horrors!" cried Eunice. "I like to stay here when I want to, but I
don't want to be made to. When could we get off, then?" for Eunice knew
much less accurately the times and tides than Edna, who always spent her
summers at Marbury.

"It was high tide at eight this morning, so it won't be entirely out
till two. But you know there is about an hour and a half before ebb
tide that the flats are bare, and, of course, it's the same time after
that before enough water comes in to float a boat. I don't believe it's
more than twelve now. Think of staying here till, say, four o'clock.
Let's call again. She might be over on the other side of Clark's
Island."

"Wah-whoo-wah! Wah-whoo-wah! Come _back_, Cricket! Wah-whoo-wah!" Eunice
sent her clear, strong voice ringing across the smooth waters, but with
no better success than before.

"You don't suppose she's purposely hiding somewhere, do you?" asked
Edna, doubtfully.

"No, indeed," returned Eunice, promptly. "She's only forgotten, if
anything, unless something has happened to her," she added, somewhat
anxiously.

"Nothing could happen in Marbury Bay," replied Edna, positively. "It's
the safest old hole. And since we are not really in the South Sea
Islands, there aren't any cannibals to eat her up."

The island was only about a mile and a half from shore, and they could
plainly see grandma's house on the Neck. Not a soul was in sight, not
even Eliza and the children.

"Let's wave a handkerchief," suggested Eunice, looking for hers, "for
the boys may see it and come out for us