The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake | Page 3

to know. "If you gave them that idea," she went on, "we'd have
them both in the hospital. However, they're not likely to come to-day."
"Why not?" asked Betty, for the twins had a habit of appearing most
unexpectedly, and in the most out-of-the-way places.
"They're over at Aunt Kittie's for the day, and I told mamma I shouldn't
mind if she kept them a week."
"Oh, the dears!" murmured Amy.
"You wouldn't say so if you saw how they upset my room yesterday. I
like a little peace and quietness," exclaimed Mollie. "I love Paul and
Dodo, but-- and she shrugged her shoulders effectively, as only the
French can.
"Here's the talcum," spoke Grace. "I'm sorry about the chocolates. Wait
until I see Will," and she shook an imaginary brother.
"Never mind, dear, it's too hot for candies, anyhow," consoled Betty.
"Pass the talcum," and she reached for the box that Mollie was then
using. "It has the most delightful odor, Grace. Where did you get it?"
"It's a new sample lot Harrison's pharmacy got in. Mr. Harrison gave
me a box to try, and said---- "
"He wanted you to recommend it to your friends, I've no doubt,"
remarked Mollie.

"He didn't say so, but I haven't any hesitation in doing so. I just love it."
"It is nice," said Amy. "I'm going to get some the next time I go
down-town."
The spicy scent of the perfumed talcum powder mingled with the odor
of the grass, the trees, and the flowers, over which the bees were
humming.
"Come, come, Betty!" exclaimed Mollie, vigorously, when shining
noses had been rendered immune from the effects of the sun, "when do
we hear that wonderful secret of yours?"
"Right away! Make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to walk about,
and get the proper action to go with the words. Now, what did I do with
that letter?" and she looked in her belt, up her sleeve, and in the folds of
her waist.
"Gracious, I hope I haven't lost it!" she exclaimed, glancing about,
anxiously.
"Was it only a letter?" asked Mollie, something of disappointment
manifesting itself in her tones.
"Only a letter!" repeated Betty, with proper emphasis. "Well, I like the
way you say that! It isn't a common letter, by any means."
"Is it from that queer Mr. Blackford, whose five hundred dollar bill we
found when we were on our walking trip?" asked Amy, with strange
recollections of that queer occurrence.
"No, it was from my uncle, Amos Marlin, a former sea captain," was
the answer "A most quaint and delightful character, as you'll all say
when you meet him."
"Then we are going to meet him?" interjected Grace, questioningly.
"Yes, he's coming to pay me a visit."

"Was that the grand surprise?" Amy wanted to know.
"Indeed not. Oh, there's the letter," and Betty caught up a piece of paper
from underneath the hammock. "I'll read it to you. It's quite funny, and
in it he says he's going to give me the grandest surprise that ever a girl
had. It---- "
"But what is the surprise itself?" inquired Mollie.
"Oh, he didn't say exactly," spoke Betty, smoothing out the letter. "But
I know, from the way he writes, that it will be quite wonderful.
Everything Uncle Amos does is wonderful. He's quite rich, and---- "
"Hark!" exclaimed Amy.
A voice was calling:
"Miss Ford! Miss Ford!"
"Yes, Nellie, what is it?" asked Grace, as she saw a maid coming
towards her, beckoning.
"Your brother wants you on the telephone, Miss Ford," answered the
maid, "he says it's quite important, and he wants you to please hurry."
"Excuse me," flung back Grace, as she hurried off. "I'll be back in a
minute. I hope he's going to confess where he put those chocolates."
CHAPTER II
AFTER THE PAPERS
"Hello, is this you, Will?"
"Yes, this is Grace. What did you do with my chocolates? The girls are
here, and-- Never mind about the chocolates? The idea! I like---- .
What's that? You want to go to the ball game? Will I do your errand for
you? Yes, I'm listening. Go on!"

"It's this way, Sis," explained Will over the wire from a down-town
drug store. "This morning dad told me to go over to grandmother's and
get those papers. You know; the ones in that big property deal which
has been hanging fire so long. Grandmother has the papers in her safe.
The deal is to be closed to-day. I promised dad I'd go, but I forgot all
about it, and now the fellows want me to go to the ball game with them.
"If you'll go over to grandmother's and get the papers I'll buy you a
two-pound box of the best chocolates-- honest, I will. And you can