was man or woman, boy or
girl. Then a sudden gust of wind tore the sou'wester aside and a long
brown curl escaped and whipped into the blue eyes. It was a girl--very
little older than Leslie herself.

"Don't mention it!" laughed the girl. "I didn't know there was another
soul on the beach beside Father and Ted and myself."

And then, for the first time, Leslie noticed two other figures standing
just beyond, each clad similarly to the girl, and each with fishing-rod
in hand and a long line running out into the boiling surf. The girl too
held a rod in her hand.

"You just spoiled the loveliest bite I've had this morning," the girl
laughed again, "but I'll forgive you if you'll tell me who you are and
how you come to be out here in this bad weather. It's quite unusual to
see any one on the beach at this season."

"I'm Leslie Crane, and I'm staying at Rest Haven with my aunt, Miss
Crane, who is not well and is trying to recuperate here, according to the
doctor's orders," responded Leslie, feeling somewhat like an information
bureau as she said it.

"Oh, so you're staying here, are you? How jolly! I've never met any one
staying here at this season before. I'm Phyllis Kelvin and this is my
father and my brother Ted. Father--Miss Leslie Crane! Ted--"

She made the introductions at the top of her voice as the wind and roar
of the ocean almost drowned it, and each of the two figures responded
politely, keeping one eye all the while on his line.

"We always come down here for three weeks in October, Father and Ted and
I, for the fishing," Phyllis went on to explain. "Father adores fishing
and always takes his vacation late down here, so that he can have the
fishing in peace and at its best. And Ted and I come to keep him company
and keep house for him, incidentally. That's our bungalow right back
there,--'Fisherman's Luck.'"

"Oh, I'm so glad you're going to be here!" sighed Leslie, happily. "I've
been horribly lonesome! Aunt Marcia does not go out very often and sleeps
a great deal, and I absolutely _long_ to talk to some one at times. I
don't know anything much about fishing, but I hope you'll let me be with
you some, if I promise not to talk too much and spoil things!"

"You're not a bit happier to find some one than _I_ am!" echoed Phyllis.
"I love fishing, too, but I'm not so crazy about it as they are, and I've
often longed for some girl chum down here. We're going to be the best of
friends, I know, and I'll call