19

They stared with the fascination of horror 43

"Well, what do you suppose that can be?" queried Cynthia 61

"Do you know any real elderly people, father?" 99

"Oh, I wish I were Sherlock Holmes!" 125

There was nothing to do but sit and enjoy the spectacle 161

Then, with one accord they began to steer their way around the
furniture 213

CHAPTER I

GOLIATH LEADS THE WAY

Cynthia sat on her veranda steps, chin in hand, gazing dolefully at the
gray September sky. All day, up to half an hour before, the sky had been
cloudlessly blue, the day warm and radiant. Then, all of a sudden, the
sun had slunk shamefacedly behind a high rising bank of cloud, and its
retiring had been accompanied by a raw, chilly wind. Cynthia scowled.
Then she shivered. Then she pulled the collar of her white sweater up to
her ears and buttoned it over. Then she muttered something about
"wishing Joy would hurry, for it's going to rain!" Then she dug her
hands into her sweater pockets and stared across the lawn at a blue
hydrangea bush with a single remaining bunch of blossoms hanging heavy
on its stem.

Suddenly there was a flash of red on a veranda farther down the street,
and a long, musical whistle. Cynthia jumped up and waved madly. The
flash of red, speeding toward her, developed into a bright red sweater,
cap, and skirt.

"Don't scold! Now you mustn't be cross, Cynthia. Anne was just putting a
big batch of sugar-cookies in the oven, and I simply _had_ to wait till
they were done! I've brought a lot over for you. Here!" The owner of the
red sweater crammed a handful of hot cookies into Cynthia's pocket.

"You did keep me waiting an age, Joy," Cynthia began, struggling with a
mouthful of cooky; "but I forgive you. I'd almost begun to be--angry!"
Joy (her right name was Joyce) ignored the latter remark.

"We can't go! Momsie positively forbade it. Why on earth couldn't it
have kept sunny a little longer? It'll rain any minute now, I suppose."

"I know," Cynthia sympathized. "Mother forbade me too, long before you
came out, and we counted on it so! Won't be much more chance to go
canoeing _this_ season." They sat down listlessly on the veranda steps,
and solaced themselves with the last remnants of the cookies. Life
appeared a trifle drab,