n to depend on taxis, or on friends.

The local sporting goods store had a good stock of equipment and Barby
was able to purchase what she wanted without difficulty. But when it
came to the bathing suits, she debated over the large selection for an
hour before choosing two that were identical except for color. Rick
and Scotty waited impatiently, now and then prodding Barby to hurry
up. She refused to be hurried.

Back at Spindrift, Jan met them with a greeting. "That certainly
didn't take long! Barby, how on earth could you pick these out so
quickly?"

The boys looked at each other. Their opinion was that Barby had taken
just one hour longer than necessary. Here, obviously, was that
mysterious thing, the feminine mind at work. Rick examined the problem
from the scientific viewpoint and got nowhere. The ways of girls
defied analysis.

Both boys had to admit, however, that the results of Barby's shopping
had been worth the delay. Their own rather shabby swim trunks, torn
and stained from contact with undersea rocks and coral, suddenly
seemed sloppy. But when Barby examined the aqualung tanks
distastefully and demanded that Rick paint them to match the new
suits, both boys put their feet down emphatically.

"The tanks are that color because they've been treated to withstand
rust and corrosion," Rick stated. "If we paint 'em, the paint will
only get knocked off and they'll look terrible. I won't do it."

The girls exchanged a glance that seemed to say, "Boys! They have
such stubborn, silly ideas!"

Jan had already gone through the exercise of clearing the aqualung
hoses of water, clearing her mask while using the lung underwater, and
using the reserve lever on the tank, and Rick had instructed her in
the theory of diving.

Now it was time to put what she had learned to the ultimate test.

The boys hauled the equipment down to the beach in Rick's old coaster
wagon, modified for carrying equipment, then directed the girls to
check the regulators, check the tanks, and connect regulators to tanks
preparatory to diving.

They lolled on the beach and watched. Scotty grinned. "This is the
life. Tony Briotti tells me it's always this way in primitive
societies. The men loaf while the women work. I'm in favor of it."

"I'm sure you are," Barby said acidly.

Jan said nothing, but continued to work with meticulous care. Rick
watched closely, and was satisfied. There was ample equipment for all.
Scotty helped Barby into