John, who knew Mr. Bartlett well, smiled in fatherly fashion and disappeared. He returned shortly bearing a tray filled with just those things that children most love. There was cream soup, and salted crackers, big pitchers of milk, little hot biscuits, fresh honey, and broiled ham--pink and very delicious as was soon discovered. Then there was sweet fruit pudding with whipped cream and, of course, ice cream. "Will John always know what we like?" asked Suzanna as the meal progressed. "Well, we'll change about," said Mrs. Bartlett, who looked as though she were enjoying every moment. "Sometimes when we know particularly what we'd like, we'll give our order, other times when we want to be surprised we'll let John serve us what he thinks we'd enjoy. Don't you think that way will be nice?" "Oh, that will be very interesting," said Suzanna; then added, "Does the water make that sound all the time?" "Yes, it's always restless." "Well, it seems as though it were asking for something," said Suzanna, "a kind of sad asking." "Now," said Mr. Bartlett, leaning across and speaking softly to her, "suppose, Suzanna, you think for a moment that it's a happy sound and see how almost at once it becomes a happy sound." Suzanna listened intently. Then her face brightened. "Why, it is a happy murmuring," she cried. "Just as though it had to sing and sing all day long." "Exactly," said Mr. Bartlett. "Well, then," said Suzanna, quickly drawing the deduction, "it's really just in me to make it say happy things or sad things." "Exactly," said Mr. Bartlett again, and then they all rose and went back to the cottage. Since the trunks which contained the beach outfits did not arrive till late that afternoon, the children did not go down to the sands till the next morning. Then with joyous hearts and eager feet, they set off, Suzanna, Maizie, Peter, Graham, and Daphne; Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett following more slowly. A bath house reserved for their use stood, door wide open. They entered, discarded their coats and immediately appeared again clad in their pretty bathing suits for the water. But when they reached the sands, already alive with gay children who were building houses or running gaily about, and with happy shrieks wading into the water, the Procter children stood awed, unable to speak, so many emotions beat within them. Maizie was the first to recover her power of speech. "There's a girl down there with a shovel and pail like mine," she said. And that broke the spell. Peter and Graham walked bravely out into the water, finally reaching their necks as they went farther and farther into the ocean. But the little girls contented themselves by simply wetting their feet and with every wave dashing up to them, leaping back with glad little cries. As the morning advanced, they returned to the older group and sat on the sand.