almost as familiar to me as Deepdale. When I was a little kiddie, I used
almost to live with Aunt Mary."

"It's wonderful how little children love the woods and brooks and all
wild things," mused Betty, adding, as the picture of Dodo and Paul,
hiding in the machines and begging to be taken along, came back to her:
"I almost wish we could have brought the twins with us. They would have
so loved it."

"And we would have spent all our time trying to keep them from falling
into the ocean," added Grace dryly. "Besides," she added, "I don't
believe Mrs. Billette would have let them come. They are such little
mischiefs, and she is always afraid something will happen to them."

"Yes, and they're good company for her," agreed Betty thoughtfully;
"especially when Mollie is away."

After a few minutes of silence Grace suddenly clutched Betty's arm,
making the Little Captain jump.

"Betty," cried the former excitedly, "we're almost there. Just around
that curve--"

"Well, you needn't scare me to death," protested Betty, taking one hand
from the wheel to rub the arm Grace had clutched.

"But I love it so," Grace cried, standing up only to be jerked back into
her seat as Betty swung round the curve. "It's such a wonderful place!"

"Is that it up on the hill?"

"Yes," answered Grace, standing up in earnest now. "Turn up the
drive--it leads to the garage at the back. And, Betty, the house stands
on a little bluff looking out over the ocean. Do you hear it--the ocean
I mean, not the house, Silly!"

The road that they had traveled from Deepdale to Bluff Point had led
across country, Deepdale being in the interior, so that the girls had
scarcely realized how close they were coming to the coast.

Now, as Betty stopped the car at the back of the quaint little cottage,
that sound of romance and mystery, the soft lapping of water with the
deeper undertone of waves against rock came up to her and she threw back
her head with a little bubbling laugh.

"I don't wonder you love it, Gracie dear," she said. "I do already. It's
glorious."

They jumped out and ran back to meet Mollie's car, which was puffing
like an old man up the steep grade.

"The ocean! The ocean!" cried Betty ecstatically, as she opened the
doors and the girls tumbled out. "Do you smell it? Do you hear it? Oh,
girls, hurry up, I can't wait to feel it!"

"Goodness, are you going to commit suicide?" cried Mollie. "If that's
what you want, I don't see why you bot