thinking of Benny.
I've never seen him still in his life, but I don't ever want to see him
as quiet as that. And say, girls--" and she drew as many of them to her
as her arms would reach, "the bottom of that boat was full of _yellow_
paper rolls!"

"He couldn't be the fire-bug!" protested Louise.

"I don't believe he could either," went on Grace, now really serious.
"But I thought I ought to mention about the papers."

"And the boat man's boy said he lived over on the island," mused Cleo.
"I'm glad we got out of leaving our names. He might come around to thank
us--and he might carry--a torch!"

This sally revived the girls' spirits to the extent of producing the
first laugh they had enjoyed since the accident; and to demonstrate the
possible torch bearing, Cleo paraded on ahead with a long stick
up-raised, while Grace and Louise followed with the crabs squirming in
their basket.

"Now, we shall divide the spoils," said Margaret, when the town was
reached, and the group should separate for their respective cottages.

"How many are there?" queried Cleo.

"Any one may have my share," offered Julia. "I don't ever want to see a
crab again as long as I live," and her face fell to positive freezing
point.

"Now, Julie dear, don't take on so," teased Grace. "No telling what our
Wise Willie may turn out to be, and just think--you held his foot when
we dragged him in."

"Grace, just you stop, I am nervous," pleaded Julia, "and I didn't hold
his foot, it was his hand."

If Julia was really nervous, the laugh and merry-making that followed
her naive remark must certainly have dispelled the quakes, for presently
she was shaking with laughter rather than with nerves.

"But the crabs!" insisted Grace. "Let's draw for them," and she dragged
the girls over to a little terrace where they unceremoniously squatted
down.

"Here are nice long and short straws," offered Louise, breaking off some
tall grass ends. "Julia, you can say which wins, long or short?"

"Please don't ask me to decide anything about those crabs," protested
Julia. "And if you don't mind I'll just run along. Mother expects folks
to dinner. I had a lovely time--" she stopped to allow the girls' laugh
time to penetrate. Force of habit in "having a good time" seemed too
absurd now, when all were just recovering from the accident shock.

"Oh, we know what you mean, Julia," teased Grace. "You had a lovely time
holding Willie's foot--hand I mean, I forgot it w