w-tennis costumes abounded.
If there was not much rowing and lawn-tennis, there was a great deal
of becoming morning dressing for these sports, and in all the rather
aimless idleness there was an air of determined enjoyment. Even here it
was evident that there was a surplus of women. These lovers of nature,
in the summer season, who had retired to this wild place to be free
from the importunities of society, betrayed, Mavick thought, the common
instinct of curiosity over the new arrival, and he was glad to take
it as an evidence that they loved not nature less but man more. Jack
tripped up this ungallant speech by remarking that if Mavick was in this
mood he did not know why he came ashore. And Van Dam said that sooner or
later all men went ashore. This thin sort of talk was perhaps pardonable
after the weariness of a sea voyage, but the Major promptly said it
wouldn't do. And the Major seemed to be in charge of the place.

"No epigrams are permitted. We are here to enjoy ourselves. I'm ordered
to bring the whole crew of you to tea at the Tavish cottage."

"Anybody else there?" asked Jack, carelessly.

"Well, it's the most curious coincidence, but Mrs. Henderson arrived
last night; Henderson has gone to Missouri."

"Yes, he wrote me to look out for his wife on this coast," said Mavick.

"You kept mighty still about it," said Jack.

"So did you," retorted Mavick.

"It is very curious," the Major explained, "how fashionable intelligence
runs along this coast, apparently independent of the telegraph;
everybody knows where everybody else is."

The Tavish cottage was a summer palace of the present fashion, but
there was one good thing about it: it had no tower, nor any make-believe
balconies hung on the outside like bird-cages. The rooms were spacious,
and had big fireplaces, and ample piazzas all round, so that the sun
could be courted or the wind be avoided at all hours of the day. It was,
in short, not a house for retirement and privacy, but for entertainment.
It was furnished luxuriously but gayly, and with its rugs and portieres
and divans it reminded Mavick of an Oriental marquee. Miss Tavish called
it her tepee, an evolution of the aboriginal dwelling. She liked to
entertain, and she never appeared to better advantage than when her
house was full, and something was going on continually-lively breakfasts
and dinners, dances, theatricals, or the usual flowing in and out of
callers and guests, chattering groups,