you know you wouldn't."

"Then I wouldn't take any of them," announced the girl from Tillbury
promptly.

"What, throw a real millionaire overboard?" and Walter gave a pretended
gasp.

"Of course. A millionaire might be nice to look at and very hateful to
live with," and Bess flung back her head as if that settled it.

"Oh, let's give the millionaires a rest," put in Rhoda. "I know what I'd
like."

"What?" came from several of the others.

"A horseback ride down there on the beach."

"Nothing easier," said Walter. "When do you want to go, now? If you do,
I'll get you a horse--over at the stand yonder."

"Will you go?" questioned the girl from Rose Ranch, turning to her
school chums.

"Hadn't we better wait until we are a little better acquainted?"
questioned Nan.

"All right. I suppose it's a bit hot to-day anyway," said Rhoda.

"I guess you miss the riding you used to do on the ranch," said Grace.

"I certainly do. Not but what this is very nice for a change."

It was late when they reached the hotel at last, and the girls began to
realize for the first time that they were tired.

"See you to-night," whispered Walter to Nan, as Grace, Bess and Rhoda
disappeared into the lobby. "And don't forget that tennis engagement for
to-morrow. Ten o'clock sharp."

CHAPTER XXIV

NAN IS FRIGHTENED

Nan played tennis with Walter the next day, and what is more, she beat
him, four out of six. She declared later that it must have been either
pure luck, or the fact that Walter was so dazed with surprise at finding
that it was possible for a girl to beat him that he had given her two
sets before he had recovered from the shock.

Be that as it may, the fact remained that Nan had to work her hardest to
wrest a set from him after that, and felt very lucky if she managed to
win one out of three.

On the other hand, Walter had to work his hardest to keep Nan from
making a "fool" of him and winning everything. Consequently his
admiration for the girl from Tillbury rose at least ten points.

The other girls were interested in the game also, although of the three,
Grace was by far the best player. Lazy Bess much preferred reading a
magazine on the immense piazza of the hotel to chasing a ball around in
the hot sun.

There were so many wonderful things to occupy their attention that a
week flew by before they knew it. Almost without sensing it, the girls
had drifted into the routine of gay activities that prev