CHAPTER VII.

REPLY FOR US, KATE.

Beatrice Meadowsweet and the Bertrams spent a delightful day together.  The Bertrams frankly owned their inability to manage a boat.  They welcomed her timely assistance, and thanked her for offering it, and then the young folk laughed and joked together, the Bertrams secretly finding Beatrice all the more interesting and fascinating because they knew that their mother would not quite approve of their being found in her society.

Beatrice told them about the harbor, took Kate into her boat, instructed Loftus how to manage his sail, and showed him the difference between rowing on a river and on the sea.  Finally, she frankly accepted their suggestion that she should join their impromptu picnic.  They landed on the green banks of that part of the coast which contained the ruins of an ancient Danish fort.  There they kindled a fire, boiled a kettle of water, made tea, enjoyed bread-and-butter, cold chicken and strawberries, and had an exceedingly festive time.

When the meal was over Bertram asked Miss Meadowsweet to show him over the fort.  She complied at once, in that easy, unconcerned manner which gave her a certain charm, and which in itself was the perfection of good-breeding.  Mabel was about to follow, but Kate caught hold of her skirt.

“Help me to wash up,” she said.

When the girls were alone, Mabel burst into a peal of laughter.

“Oh, what a time the little mice are having!” she exclaimed.  “What a time!  I only wish that nice Beatrice of yours had a couple of brothers as charming as herself.  Then our state would approach perfection.”

“May, you oughtn’t to talk in that silly fashion.  No one hates leading-strings as I do, and I’m determined that mother shall allow me to make Miss Meadowsweet my friend.  But this meeting seems like taking advantage of mother’s absence; it does really, and although we could not help ourselves, I am sorry about it.”

“Well, I’m not.  We have had a delicious time, and I think, too, we owe our lives to Miss Bee.  Loftie was making an awful mess of that sail, and you know, Kate, none of us can swim.  Now look at Loftie, do look at him!  See how he’s bending towards Miss Meadowsweet.  He is quite taken with her, I can see.  Oh, what a flirt he is.  Doesn’t she hold herself nicely, Kate?  And hasn’t she an independent sort of way?”

“Yes,” responded Catherine.  “I think even mother must own that Beatrice is in good style.  I knew that the moment she spoke to me.”

“They are coming back,” said Mabel.  “Just toss me over that towel, please, Kate.  Don’t you think I provided a very nice little lunch?  Mrs. Masters and I managed it between us, and you none of you knew, no none of you, how very ancient that chicken was.”

“Didn’t I?” replied Kate.  “I had one of the drumsticks.  That chicken has woke me in a very lusty manner more than once in the morn.  ‘Up, Up!’ cries the crowing cock.  Oh, Mabel, it was cruel of you to deprive us of his clarion note.”