“Oh, yes, I know she will, for Aunt Nell came back with me to Baltimore and we talked it all over. I think Gran is rather looking forward to watching Fan’s flirtations. The only thing that is uncertain is the matter of a cook, that is, provided you go. We could take our meals at a boarding-house, but it would be more fun to have them at home, don’t you think? I wouldn’t mind a course in domestic science myself, and it would be rather jolly to go to the store and pick out things, you and I, Ellen.” “It all sounds so perfectly heavenly,” murmured Ellen. “I’ve never spent a summer at the seashore, and I have always longed to go to Maine.” “You must understand,” Mabel went on hesitatingly, “that there will not be the slightest expense attached to the undertaking, and that whatever salary should be attached to the office of chaperon will be yours, Miss Crump. You will be my guests, of course.” Miss Rindy’s head went up. “I could not think of demanding a salary. To be your guests would be a privilege sufficient to balance matters.” Mabel looked helplessly at Ellen, who shook her head warningly. One must not antagonize Miss Rindy in matters of this sort. It was evident that she was disposed to think favorably of the proposition, and of Mabel, so the latter switched off to another subject. “One lovely thing about going up to this island is that we don’t have to bother about clothes. We can dress any old way we choose. We shall need some warm things, I warn you, for it never gets very hot, except sometimes in the middle of the day, and even then you can count upon a breeze from the sea. I was there for a week once, and I know.” “One would suppose it was all settled,” said Miss Rindy smiling. “Oh, but it is, at least nearly, isn’t it?” said Ellen, throwing her arms around her cousin. “I’ll tell you to-morrow. How is an old hoppety-go-quick like me to take that long journey on crutches? When do you expect to go, Miss Wickham?” “It’s perfectly lovely up there in June. Could you go as early as the middle of that month?” “We’ll see.” “You’ll be giving up your crutches and be walking with a cane by that time,” Ellen broke in; “the doctor said so.” “You could go all the way by water if you liked, or we could motor up. At all events it would be made as easy a journey for you as possible,” Mabel promised. Miss Rindy only nodded reflectively. “We’ll let the matter rest for the present,” she decided, and nothing further would she say. Mr. Todd had taken his departure before Mabel had started her explanations, and now Ellen bore her friend up to her own room, where they chattered like magpies while Ellen made ready to go out with Mabel to show her the town.