?" Ed asked.

"Of course--she won't mind," spoke Cora. "Well, as I said, we'll go to the
Cove--taking whatever time we please. There are two bungalows there, you
know, and we girls are to have the larger one, so----"

"Well, I like that!" cried Jack, sitting up. "As if we fellows could dress
in a band-box."

"Oh, your place is plenty big enough--you know it is!" retorted his
sister. "And you know when you and I went down to look at them you said
you liked the smaller one best, anyhow."

"Did I?" inquired Jack, slightly bewildered.

"You certainly did!"

"Now will you be good?" laughed Walter.

"We girls need more room anyhow," was the opinion of Bess, calmly given.

"Nothing more to say," declared Ed, sententiously. "I know how many
dresses each of you is going to take now. Slay on, Macbeth!" and he closed
his eyes resignedly.

"Everything will be ready for us at the bungalows," went on Cora. "Aunt
Susan has promised to see to that."

"How about--er--grub--not to put too fine a point upon it?" asked Jack.

"The refreshments will be there," Cora answered, pointedly.

"Oh my! Listen to that!" mocked Ed.

"We'll have to put on our glad rags for dinner every night,
fellows--notice that--I said dinner! Ahem!"

"Please be quiet!" begged Cora. "Now we're at the bungalows," and she
consulted her list.

"Come out for a swim" cried Walter, imitating a seal, and barking like one.

"I mean in imagination," added Cora. "There, I think that is all. Our
trunks and suit cases are nearly packed, Cousin Mary will be here later
to-night, ready to start in the morning with us. Our route is all mapped
out, and I guess we can count on a good time."

"Are the bungalows near the beach?" asked Eline.

"Almost on it," answered Cora. "At high tide and with the wind on shore
the spray comes on the porches!"

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Belle, apprehensively. "I know----"

"You're going to learn to swim, you promised!" cried Cora. "Can anyone
think of anything else?"

They all could, and promptly proceeded to do so, a perfect babel of talk
ensuing. Some forgotten points were jotted down and then, as it was
getting late, the young people dispersed, promising to meet early in the
morning. It had stopped raining when they went out, so there was no need
to hunt up umbrellas.

"Cora," said Jack, a bit solemnly, as he was helping her lock up for the
night, "was there anything about that strange woman that you didn't tell
us?"

"Not