It was Eurie who made this somewhat startling discovery and announcement after a lull had fallen upon their mirth.

“Have you been there to see?” illogically asked Marion, as she threw a tiny stone into the water and watched the waves quiver and ripple.

Eurie laughed.

“Not quite, but this must be a little piece of it—­this music, I mean.  I am almost tempted to make an effort after the real thing.  How exquisitely those voices sound!  I’m very certain I should enjoy the music, whether I should be able to get along with the rest of the programme or not.  What on earth do you suppose they do there all the time, anyway?”

“Where?”

“Why, in heaven, of course; that is what I was talking about.  I believe you are half asleep, Flossy Shipley; you mustn’t go to sleep out here; it isn’t quite heaven yet, and you will take cold.  Honestly, girls, isn’t it a sort of wonderment to you how the people up there can employ their time?  In spite of me I cannot help feeling that it must be rather stupid; think of never being able to lie down and take a nap!”

“Or read a novel,” added Marion.  “Isn’t that your favorite employment when you are awake, Eurie?  I’m sure I don’t know much about the occupations of the place; I’m not posted; there is nothing about it laid down in our geography; and, in fact, the people who seem to be expecting to spend their lives there are unaccountably mum about it.  I don’t at this moment remember hearing any one ever express a downright opinion, and I have always thought it rather queer.  I asked Nellie Wheden about it one day when she was going on about her expected tour in Europe.  She had bored me to death, making me produce all my geographic and historic lore for her benefit; and suddenly I thought of an expedient for giving myself a little peace and a chance to talk about something else.  ’Come, Nellie,’ I said, ’one good turn deserves another.  I have told you everything I can think of that can possibly be of interest to you about Europe; now give me some information about the other place where you are going.  You must have laid up a large stock of information in all these years.’”

“What on earth did she say?” Ruth asked, curiously, while Eurie was in great glee over the story.

“She was as puzzled as if I had spoken to her in Greek.  ’What in the world can you be talking about?’ she said.  ’I’m not going anywhere else that I know of.  My head has been full of Europe for the last year, and I haven’t talked nor thought about any other journey.’  Well, I enlightened her as to her expectations, and what do you think she said?  You wouldn’t be able to guess, so I’ll tell you.  She said I was irreverent, and that no one who respected religion would ask such questions as that, and she actually went off in a huff over my wickedness.  So, naturally, I have been chary of trying to get information on such ‘reverent’ subjects ever since.”