“Why didn’t you wake me up,” scolded the younger girl.  “Oh, Judy, isn’t it lovely,” and she dropped down on the beach, panting.

The morning sun cast rosy shadows over the sea, there was a touch of amethyst in the clouds, and the waves as they curled over the golden beach were gray-green in the hollows and silver-white on their crests.

“I just know I sha’n’t dare to stick my toes into the water,” said Anne with a shiver.  “It is so—­so big, Judy.”

“You look just dear,” declared Judy, as Anne dropped her raincoat and came forth in a scarlet suit, “that red suits you.”

Anne clasped her hands.  “Oh, Judy, does it,” she sighed rapturously.

“Yes.”

“You don’t think I am getting vain, do you, Judy?” inquired Anne, anxiously, “but I do love pretty things.”

“I think you are a goosie,” said Judy with a little laugh, then she caught hold of Anne with impatient hands.  “Come on in, little red bird,” she urged, “it’s lovely in the water.”

Anne squealed and struggled, and finally waded in until the water came up to her knees.

“Don’t take me any farther, Judy,” she begged, and when Judy saw her frightened face, she let her go.

“Sit on the sand, then, and watch me, Annekins,” she advised.  “You will get used to this after a while and enjoy it as much as I do.”

She was off with a run and a leap, and for fifteen minutes or more she was over and under and up and down on the waves like a snowy mermaid.

“And now for breakfast,” said the young lady in white, as she dashed up the sands, with raincoat flying and towel fluttering in the breeze.

Ten minutes later two red-cheeked, wet-haired damsels rushed into the dining-room and kissed the Judge, who sat at the head of the table with his newspaper propped up in front of him.

“Bless my soul,” he said, gazing at them over his spectacles, “are you really up?”

“We have been up for an hour,” gurgled Anne, happily, “and in bathing.”

But Judy did not stop for explanations, “Oh, waffles, waffles.  Perkins, I love you.  How did you know I wanted waffles?”

“You said you would have an appetite, Miss,” said the beaming Perkins, “and there’s nothing that touches the spot on a cool morning like waffles.”

He exchanged satisfied glances with the Judge as Judy finished her sixth section, having further supplemented the waffles with a dish of berries and a lamb chop.

“We are going down to the bay after breakfast,” announced Judy.

“And I am going to take a book and read on the sand,” planned Anne.

“Books, nothing,” said Judy, slangily.  “We are going to sail and catch crabs.”

“Little red crabs?” asked Anne with interest.

“No, big blue ones, you goosie, and then Perkins will cook them for us.  Won’t you, Perkins?”

“Anything you say, Miss,” said Perkins, resignedly.