ed.

Glorious days on skates and iceboats followed, when the outdoor girls
went to a winter camp. And then came a contrast when it was learned that
Mr. Stonington had purchased an orange grove in Florida, and that Amy
had the privilege of inviting her friends to spend the winter in the
Sunny South.

For what happened there I refer you to the volume dealing with our
friends' activities amid the palms. Sufficient to say that they
thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They had returned to Deepdale, their home
town on the Argono River, just as spring was budding forth.

And now, this glorious day, the four girls had met once again, and were
ready for something new, which something seemed to be offered by Betty
Nelson.

"You see it's this way, girls," went on the Little Captain, as she
explained matters. "Mother just loves the sea, and she has been wanting
a permanent place there for some time. Papa has been looking about, and
he heard of Edgemere, a beautiful big cottage, almost on the beach. He
said he would buy it if mamma liked it, and so she and I went to look at
it to-day."

"You don't mean to say you have been to Ocean View, and back, this same
day!" exclaimed Grace, in surprise.

"Yes. We went down on the first train this morning--up before the sun,
really, and we arrived before noon. It did not take us long to decide
about the cottage. Mamma and I leased it, with the privilege of buying
in the fall, if we like it. Then we came back, and on the way, in the
train, I asked mamma if I couldn't have you girls down for the summer."

"And she didn't faint at the prospect?" asked Mollie, mischievously.

"The idea!" cried Betty. "Of course not! She was delighted! So, as soon
as our train arrived, which was only a few minutes ago, I started
looking for you. As I came up from the station, leaving mamma to go home
in the car, I spied you three just turning into the candy store."

"Grace is the only one who will 'turn into' a candy store," spoke
Mollie. "She will actually turn into a drop of chocolate some day, if
she isn't careful."

"Smarty!" mocked the fair one.

"Well, I found you there, at any rate," went on Betty, "and you know the
rest; or, rather, you will when I tell you about Edgemere!"

"Edgemere--what's that?" asked Amy.

"It isn't a new kind of confection, even if Grace thinks so," laughed
Mollie.

"I--I'll throw something at you if you don't stop!" threatened the
Gibson girl, but as all she had in her ha