you going right home because of your finger?"

"No, indeed! We never stop for hurts and things, unless they're bad
enough for us to go to bed. Give me another potato, and you open it for
me, won't you, Dick?"

"Yep," and Marjorie was immediately supplied with the best of the
potatoes and apples, carefully prepared for her use.

"Aren't there any other girls in Seacote?" she inquired.

"There's Hester Corey," answered Tom; "but we don't know her very well.
She isn't nice, like you are. And I don't know of any others, though
there may be some. Most of the people in the cottages haven't any
children,--or else they're grown up,--big girls and young ladies. And
there's a few little babies, but not many of our age. So that's why
we're so glad you came."

"And that's why you stole our wood!"

"Yes, truly. We thought that'd be a good way to test your temper."

"It was a risky way," said King, thinking it over.

"Oh, I don't know. I knew, if you were the right sort, you'd take it all
right; and if you weren't the right sort, we didn't care how you took
it."

"That's so," agreed Marjorie.

CHAPTER III

THE SAND CLUB

Life at Seacote soon settled down to its groove, and it was a very
pleasant groove. There was always plenty of fun to be had. Bathing every
day in the crashing breakers, digging in the sand, building beach fires,
talking to the old fishermen, were all delightful pursuits. And then
there were long motor rides inland, basket picnics in pine groves, and
excursions to nearby watering-places.

The Craig boys turned out to be jolly playfellows, and they and the
Maynards became inseparable chums. Marjorie often wished one of them had
been a girl, but at the same time, she enjoyed her unique position of
being the only girl in the crowd. The boys deferred to her as to a
princess, and she ruled them absolutely.

Of course the senior Craigs and Maynards became good friends also, and
the two ladies especially spent many pleasant hours together.

Baby Rosamond rarely played with the older children, as she was too
little to join in their vigorous games, often original with themselves,
and decidedly energetic. The beach was their favorite playground. They
never tired of digging in the sand, and they had a multitude of spades
and shovels and hoes for their various sand performances. Some days they
built a fort, other days a castle or a pleasure ground. Their sand-works
were extensive and elaborate, and it