The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View | Page 8

stay, you know. And I don't know what to take and what to leave. I'm sure to want the very things I don't take."
"Take them all, then. That's what I'm doing. Only I haven't really begun yet. I just ran over to ask you something."
"Well, let it be something very easy, Grace dear. My brain isn't capable of taking in very much this morning."
"It's about Will," went on Grace, thoughtfully selecting a chocolate from a bag. "Are you sure you won't have some?" she asked.
"What, of Will? No, thank you!"
"Silly, of course not. I mean this candy. It's delicious! Just fresh and----"
"Cloying," interrupted Betty. "You haven't a lime drop, have you?"
"Ugh! The horrid, sour things, no! But about Will. Did you know he had a secret Betty?"
"A secret? Mercy, no! Is it about some----"
"I don't believe it's a girl. If it is, Will acts the funniest of anyone I ever saw. He has a lot of books and papers he's studying over."
"It might be her--letters--or--her picture that he puts in a book so no one will see----"
"It isn't that!" declared Grace with conviction. "Oh, this is a nougat!" she exclaimed in rapture, as her white teeth bit into a particularly delicious candy.
"Hopeless!" sighed Betty, folding a skirt neatly.
"I mean he hasn't any girl's picture, or anything like that," went on Grace. "I found one of the books where he had laid it down. It is some sort of Government report. I thought you might know."
"Why?" asked Betty, quickly. "I'm not in his confidence."
"I know, but you see, Will and Allen being so chummy, and Allen being so fond of you----"
"Grace Ford!" broke in Betty. "You shouldn't say such things!" and she blushed crimson.
"Why not?" demanded Grace, coolly. "There's no one here but us, and we know it. I thought perhaps Will had told Allen, and Allen might have hinted to you."
"Not a word, Grace, dear. I didn't even know Will had a secret."
"Well, he has, and he won't tell me. But I'll find out. He's up to something. I only hope he doesn't run away again, or do something foolish."
"Will doesn't mean anything," declared Betty. "He is just high-spirited; that's all. What sort of a secret did it seem to be, if it wasn't about--girls?" and Betty laughed.
"Oh, I'm sure it isn't about girls," Grace went on, seriously enough. "At least it isn't any girl in our set, and Will doesn't know any others. And if it is some one in our set, they're all nice girls, so it won't really matter--after we get used to it."
"Oh, dear!" laughed Betty. "You speak as though he were engaged!"
"Oh, I know he isn't," declared Grace. "But he is such a tease. But if you don't know, you don't, Betty. And now I must run back. Have any of the other members of the club been over?"
"Yes, Mollie was just here."
Grace fished out another chocolate, after shaking up the bag to see if there were any choice ones at the bottom, and then, after trying in vain to induce Betty to accept a sweet, took her departure, saying she was going to see to her own packing.
"Now it only needs a call from Amy to make the round of visits complete," murmured Betty, as she resumed the sorting of her garments. But Amy did not come that morning.
The outdoor girls were making ready for their trip to Ocean View, where the better part of the summer would be spent.
The arrangements had been made for the Nelson family to occupy the beautiful cottage, Edgemere, which was completely furnished.
"Even to matches and a candle in each bedroom," Betty had said.
"But I thought you said it was a modern place," objected Grace. "I don't like candles--excuse me, Betty dear, but they are so--so smelly!"
"I know. The candles are only for emergency. The house has electric lights."
"Electric lights! I thought Ocean View was such a quaint old place," murmured Mollie.
"So it is. The electric plant is in Point Lomar, that swell summer resort. Only a few places in Ocean View have electricity."
And so the arrangements went on. Mollie, Grace and Amy were to be Betty's guests during the summer, though their parents or relatives had a standing invitation to spend week-ends and holidays at the shore.
"And of course the boys are always welcome!" added Betty.
"And of course we'll come!" declared Will and the others. "That is, I'll spend as much time as I can away from my official duties!"
"Oh, he nearly told us then!" cried Grace. "Will, I'll never speak to you again, if you don't tell me that secret."
"You shall know in due time, sister mine. As for your threat, I don't mind your not speaking to me if you don't make me buy your chocolates. I care not who speaks to me!" he paraphrased, "as