background. I feel perhaps, we should organize. Suppose we
organize a summer troop of just our own girls? Margaret and Julia will
be here this week, and you know many more from school will be down
later."

"Oh let's call ourselves the Sea Gulls. Then we would have an excuse for
taking rides in that airplane that goes up from the park," suggested the
ever venturesome Grace.

"I'd like it," agreed Louise. "Then, too, we could wear our uniforms a
lot, and I am sure I shall have to wear something to help out on cutting
down laundry until real hot weather. Do you know, girls, there is no
such thing as obtaining help? And our Susie insisted on getting married,
so would not come down with us."

"And mother wouldn't even try to get a perfectly strange maid," said
Cleo. "I don't mind helping out by wearing a uniform on cool days, but I
don't believe I should enjoy doing a lot of housework. I would rather go
scouting for maids," she insisted.

"We might even do that," replied Grace, "but now let's hie to the next
cottage. I think mine is next."

It was so early in the season that not many of the summer places were
open, but in almost every cottage workers were busy, opening the boarded
windows, (all windows on the ocean side have to be boarded up to
withstand the winter storms) fixing up the grounds, opening garages, and
generally preparing for the summer influx.

"Here we are!" announced Grace, leading her companions up through the
well groomed lawn, then under the rose arch over which the word
"Rosabell" was wrought in rustic characters, with the rose vines
threading in and out, and punctuating each letter with sprays of buds
almost ready to bloom.

"Oh, isn't that pretty!" enthused Cleo. "I believe the light dainty
cottage is really prettier than our gloomy old log cabin."

"And such porch furniture!" enthused Louise. "You can have a lovely
scout meeting out here Grace. Let's hurry and organize so we can have a
meeting," suggested Louise in sincere compliment to "Rosabell."

Within the cottage the rooms were all done in a chintz and hung in
wonderful gauzy draperies, almost unknown to city houses, but quite
indispensable to the summer resort.

"And wait until you see my room," Grace told her friends. "I am sure you
will like it."

"Oh, a marine room," exclaimed Cleo, as they entered a corner all
decorated with sea trophies, including star fish, the sword of a sword
fish, tortoise shells, even fishing rods and qu