"Hm-m; well, I might not mind that kind of a battle myself," laughed
Tilly.

CHAPTER XVI

TILLY CROSSES BRIDGES

In the afternoon the young people again started out to explore the town.
This time Mr. Hartley was not with them.

"But are you quite sure you won't get lost?" Mrs. Kennedy demurred
anxiously, as Genevieve was putting on her hat.

"No, ma'am," returned Genevieve, with calm truthfulness and a merry
smile. "But, dearie, it's daylight and there are six of us. What if we
do get lost? We've got tongues in our heads, and we know the name of our
hotel and of the street it's on."

"Very well," sighed Mrs. Kennedy. Then, with sudden spirit she added:
"Dear me, Genevieve! I shall be glad if ever we get back to Sunbridge
and I have you to myself all quiet again. I'm afraid you'll never, never
settle down to just plain living after these irresponsible weeks of one
long playday."

It was Genevieve's turn now to sigh.

"I know, Aunt Julia. It will be hard, won't it?" she admitted. Then,
with a quick change of manner, she observed airily: "As if anything
could be nicer than learning to cook, and keeping my stockings mended!
Why, Aunt Julia!" The next moment, with a breezy kiss, she was gone.

It was a delightful afternoon that the girls spent rambling about the
curiously interesting old town, which--Cordelia impressively informed
them--was the third oldest in the United States. They tried to see it
all, but they did not succeed in this, of course. They did stand in
delighted wonder before the San Fernando Cathedral with its square,
cross-tipped towers; and they did wander for an entrancing hour in the
old Mexican Quarter, with its picturesque houses and people, its
fascinating chili and tamale stands, and its narrow, twisting streets,
which Genevieve declared were almost as bad as Boston.

"Boston!" bridled Tilly, instantly. "Why, Boston's tiniest, crookedest
streets are great wide boulevards compared to these! Besides, when we
are in Boston we don't have to cross a river every time we turn around."

"I don't know about that," retorted Genevieve, warmly. "Just try to go
over to Cambridge or Charlestown and see. I'm sure I think Boston's got
lots of bridges."

Tilly sniffed her disdain.

"Pooh! You're _leaving_ Boston when you cross those bridges, Genevieve
Hartley, and you know it. But just look at them here! We haven't
stirred once out of San Antonio, and I think I've crossed five bridges
in the la