ey would be.

"Never mind," said Edna philosophically; "the longer we wait the more
berries we shall find. We can count on good weather for some time now."

"You wouldn't want to sail anyway to-day," said Miss Lacey. "It looks
blue enough, but there are white caps left over from yesterday that
would never get _me_ to ride on them, I can tell you."

"The Sound isn't rough," replied Edna; "but we'll all be good girls and
write letters. Come down to the Fir Ledges with us, Miss Lacey. We'll
write there."

"Thank you, I've outgrown that," replied Miss Martha briskly. "Sit with
your heels higher than your head, and no decent place to lean, and just
at the most important moment have the wind double your paper over or
blow it away. No, thank you; but there's room at the table for all of
us if you'll be sensible."

The table was a round one placed in an angle of the spacious piazza,
which had been glassed in as protection from the prevailing wind.

Here Miss Martha was wont to gather her writing materials, and with her
back to the view, not for fear of its temptations, but in order to get
a better light, indite many an underlined epistle to her friends at
home. She sometimes had Edna's company, but that could not be to-day.
The young hostess was enjoying too much exhibiting the charms of her
beloved habitat to the guest who thrilled in such responsive
appreciation at the moments and places where others had often proved
disappointing.

"No bribe could induce us to be sensible," was Edna's response to Miss
Lacey's suggestion. "We are going to the Fir Ledges, and there is no
knowing when you will see us again."

"Oh, yes, there is," returned Miss Martha dryly. She was seating
herself for her enjoyable morning. She was going to send Selina Lane
some of Jenny's receipts. "There will be halibut and egg sauce, lemon
meringue pie, and various other things served in this house at 1.30,"
she went on, "and I have an idea that you'll take an interest in them."

Edna and Sylvia exchanged a thoughtful look. "Perhaps we may," said
Edna.

"I'm sure of it," added Sylvia with conviction.

Miss Lacey's satisfied laugh followed the pair down the woodland road,
and she looked after them.

"Everything has turned out so well," she thought. "I remember how this
summer stood up in my mind as one of the obstacles to letting Sylvia
come to me, for I didn't see where I could leave her while I came to
Hawk Island,--and now, just look. I real