"I never knew there were so many resorts in the world," sighed Nan,
leaning back lazily in her chair. "The only place I really ever
connected with Florida was Palm Beach. But it seems that is only one of
about a million."

"Hardly that," laughed Mr. Mason. "It is true there are a great many
resorts in Florida, but the most beautiful and famous of them is Palm
Beach."

"Mr. Mason," spoke up Bess, with a wicked little look at Nan, "is it
true that most of the people who go to Palm Beach are either bald-headed
millionaires or fussy women who just go there to show off their
clothes?"

Mr. Mason laughed heartily at this, and the rest of his family joined
in, while Nan shot a reproachful glance at her chum.

"No, my dear," said the gentleman finally, a humorous twist in the
corners of his mouth. "I can't say that all the guests at Palm Beach are
of the particular varieties you have mentioned. There are bald-headed
millionaires, of course, and plenty of fussy, over-dressed women, but
the people that I have mostly met in the hotels have struck me as being
nice folks, very much like ourselves----"

"Stop handing yourself bouquets, Dad," Walter broke in, with a chuckle.

"I included the whole family," said Mr. Mason gravely. "The
millionaires," he went on, "don't come to the hotels as a rule. They
build themselves beautiful bungalows along the shore and take their
recreation mostly in private clubs."

"Oh, dear! I think that's horrid," pouted Bess. "That's one of the
things I came for especially. I wanted to see a dozen real live
millionaires all in one spot."

"You shall see plenty of millionaires," promised Mr. Mason. "Although we
won't guarantee to have them all in one spot."

A few hours later the tide of passengers flowed from the train at Palm
Beach and the girls, borne along with the crowd, looked about them
eagerly.

They had heard a great deal about the beauty of this famous winter
resort, but they realized in that one swift glance that nothing they had
ever heard had half done it justice.

"Is that a hotel over there?" asked Nan of Grace, as they allowed
themselves to be swept on by the merry crowd. Bess and Rhoda were coming
slowly along behind them. "That immense yellow building with the green
blinds?"

"Yes, that's the Royal Poinciana," answered Grace. "Where we are going
to stay, you know."

"Oh, are we?" asked Nan faintly, as she gazed up at the Royal Poinciana
Hotel, which was six stories in