"We'll send two boys and an extra boat," returned Edna. "The island is rich in both commodities." She let Dunham go to the little hotel that evening. "But it will be the last time," she said to Miss Lacey after he had gone. "Why shouldn't I have a house party while Sylvia is here?" "A man is a disturbing element on general principles," remarked Miss Martha, "but I like him, and always did, from the moment he dusted a chair for me with his handkerchief." She cleared her throat with sudden embarrassment as she glanced at Sylvia, who was listening with serious eyes. That day's errand seemed strange and remote. "Where have you and Mr. Dunham met before?" asked Edna, turning suddenly to her guest. Sylvia was prepared for this question. "In Boston, only once. He met me there to arrange some business for Uncle Calvin." "He is quite overcome by the change in your appearance. I'm not going to tell you the nice things he said about you. I don't approve of turning curly heads." Sylvia colored and met Edna's kind eyes with a pleased, eager gaze. How lovely if the Prince should like her as did her Princess. CHAPTER XXII BLUEBERRYING Benny was still unfurling his sail when his party came down to the floating dock the next morning. Dunham was laden with lunch boxes, pails, and sweaters, and Benny looked somewhat darkly upon him as his laugh rang out in reply to a speech of his companions. "I was givin' ye half an hour more," said the boy, as they greeted him. "Ye usually"-- "Don't betray me that way, Benny," interrupted Edna. "I'll have to confess, though, that this promptness is all owing to Mr. Dunham. He has pursued and hurried us since eight o'clock." "I've traveled on my virtuous early rising up to the present moment," remarked Dunham; "but now I'll confess that I wasn't so crazy over the sunrise as I was at it. It was a very unwelcome pageant in my room at 3 A.M." "Oh, surely!" exclaimed Edna sympathetically. "Those cruelly light windows." "Did you ever try a black stocking?" asked Sylvia earnestly. "Well--occasionally," replied Dunham, regarding his feet. "I mean on your eyes." "No. Is that the latest? I'm from the country." "People talk about sunshine in a shady place," said Sylvia. "I think shade in a sunny place is quite as important. Always put a black stocking under your pillow when you go to sleep in a blindless room. The light wakes you, you draw the stocking across your eyes,--and off you go again." "Yes, but supposing the stocking does the same?" objected Dunham. The girls laughed, much to Benny's disapproval. "You shouldn't toss around so, then," said Edna. "That isn't kind," remarked John. "Benny, I trust there is something black on board to draw across these lunch boxes. It is one hundred in the refrigerator on this dock." Benny took the lunch stolidly, and stowed it under cover. He considered Mr. Dunham an entirely superfluous member of this party.