"It's amazing, simply amazing in Calvin!" thought Miss Martha. "She
must have bewitched him, and what could he have meant by 'The Rosy
Cloud,' and why should she blush over it?"

Thinkright walked to the house with the visitor a few minutes later,
while Cap'n Lem stayed to put up the horses and Sylvia lingered to
examine her light oars.

"Calvin's outdone himself," remarked Miss Martha. "He must have taken a
great fancy to her."

"It looks that way," responded Thinkright.

"And you don't know what he could possibly mean by that poetical name,
do you?"

"I haven't an idea," returned her companion, well pleased that such was
the case, for he could see that otherwise it might go hard with him.

"And I daresay you're quite as bewitched with her as Calvin," pursued
Miss Lacey curiously.

"I'm under her little thumb, but luckily she doesn't know it," was the
reply.

"Well, I think it's high time I came over to get acquainted with her
myself," remarked Miss Martha.

"High time, Martha," returned Thinkright, smiling. "It's high time you
got in the game."

CHAPTER XVIII

HAWK ISLAND

An hour later Miss Martha had the escort of her niece down to the shore
again. She peered about alertly for a sign of her boatman.

"Now I told Benny that I shouldn't fail"--she began with annoyance.
"Oh, there he is," for the top of the mast was visible beyond a farther
jutting point of rock. "Benny!" she called. His hand appeared and waved
a signal. "I suppose we shall have to go over there. I should like to
know why he couldn't stay where I told him to. Benny," as they drew
near enough to be heard, "you gave me a start for a minute. Why didn't
you wait for me in that same place?"

Benny glanced toward Sylvia. "Thought yew mightn't care to squat on
that rock all night," he drawled imperturbably.

"What do you mean? Oh--wasn't the tide right?"

"No; most likely it didn't hear what you said. Anyways, it didn't wait.
It kep' on a-goin' down jest the same."

Miss Martha's lips drew in. "You absurd boy. Benny, this is my niece,
another Miss Lacey; and Sylvia, this is Benny Merritt. We couldn't get
along without him at the island; and now we must fly. How's the wind,
Benny?"

"Pretty good chance; we'll have to beat some."

"Well, you mustn't let the boat tip," responded Miss Martha, as she
crept gingerly along the slippery rocks, and helped by Sylvia jumped in
and took her seat. "Don't fall so in love with The Rosy Clo