"It's wonderful how little children love the woods and brooks and all wild things," mused Betty, adding, as the picture of Dodo and Paul, hiding in the machines and begging to be taken along, came back to her: "I almost wish we could have brought the twins with us. They would have so loved it." "And we would have spent all our time trying to keep them from falling into the ocean," added Grace dryly. "Besides," she added, "I don't believe Mrs. Billette would have let them come. They are such little mischiefs, and she is always afraid something will happen to them." "Yes, and they're good company for her," agreed Betty thoughtfully; "especially when Mollie is away." After a few minutes of silence Grace suddenly clutched Betty's arm, making the Little Captain jump. "Betty," cried the former excitedly, "we're almost there. Just around that curve--" "Well, you needn't scare me to death," protested Betty, taking one hand from the wheel to rub the arm Grace had clutched. "But I love it so," Grace cried, standing up only to be jerked back into her seat as Betty swung round the curve. "It's such a wonderful place!" "Is that it up on the hill?" "Yes," answered Grace, standing up in earnest now. "Turn up the drive--it leads to the garage at the back. And, Betty, the house stands on a little bluff looking out over the ocean. Do you hear it--the ocean I mean, not the house, Silly!" The road that they had traveled from Deepdale to Bluff Point had led across country, Deepdale being in the interior, so that the girls had scarcely realized how close they were coming to the coast. Now, as Betty stopped the car at the back of the quaint little cottage, that sound of romance and mystery, the soft lapping of water with the deeper undertone of waves against rock came up to her and she threw back her head with a little bubbling laugh. "I don't wonder you love it, Gracie dear," she said. "I do already. It's glorious." They jumped out and ran back to meet Mollie's car, which was puffing like an old man up the steep grade. "The ocean! The ocean!" cried Betty ecstatically, as she opened the doors and the girls tumbled out. "Do you smell it? Do you hear it? Oh, girls, hurry up, I can't wait to feel it!" "Goodness, are you going to commit suicide?" cried Mollie. "If that's what you want, I don't see why you bothered to come away up here." "Mother, Mother, give me the key, quick," demanded Grace, as they ran around the side of the house and Betty made a face at Mollie. "You haven't forgotten it, have you?" "No, I tied it on a ribbon around my neck," said Mrs. Ford, with a smile. "I had no intention of forgetting it. Here it is." "Thank you." Grace fitted the key in the lock and opened the door, but when she turned, expecting to find the girls at her back, she found that they had deserted her.