“Don’t they? Especially Will,” agreed Betty with a sly little glance. “If you don’t look out you will give the impression that you’re rather fond of that worthless old brother of yours, honey.” “I love him awfully,” replied Grace, adding with a little puckering of her forehead: “But I am going to tell you something, Betty, that I wouldn’t tell to any one else for the world. I’m jealous, actually jealous! of Amy.” Betty gave a merry little laugh and slipped an arm about her chum. “Gracie dear, we never would have known that if you hadn’t told us,” she said dryly, “Don’t, you know,” as Grace looked at her reproachfully, “that we have all been perfectly well aware of that ever since Will first began to make eyes at Amy?” “I can’t help it,” Grace retorted, while sudden tears sprang to her eyes. “I’ve known him longer than she has, and we’ve loved each other ever since he was two and I was two weeks! Did you see the way he looked at her?” she finished dolefully. “Yes. But of course you couldn’t see the way he looked at you,” said Betty quickly. “And I did.” “Oh, did he look glad to see me? Did he?” demanded Grace with pathetic eagerness. “Of course he did, you little goose,” said Betty, adding with a chuckle: “You’ve been spoiled, that’s all. You’ve been so used to being the _only_ pebble on the beach, dear, that you can’t be content with being just one of two.” By this time they had reached the lodge and were greeted noisily by the others, who had already seated themselves on the porch as though they intended to stay all day. “Hello,” called Frank. His handsome face, though somewhat thinner than the girls remembered, was better looking than ever and he had developed a trick of flinging the hair back from his forehead that the girls thought immensely attractive, Roy, who had seated himself on the railing of the porch and was swinging his feet, looked more unchanged than either of the boys, though the girls were soon to find out that he had changed the most. Will, who had settled Amy in a chair and was sitting cross-legged on the floor at her feet, was gazing up at the girl with his heart in his eyes. As for Amy! well, the girls had never known she could look so radiant. “Have a seat,” invited Roy, rising lazily to the dignity of his six feet as Betty and Grace came up on the porch. “It would seem like old times to see you girls perched on the railing.” “I’ll have you know, sir,” said Betty very demurely, as she pulled Grace down beside her on the top step of the porch, “that we have quite grown up since you have been away. We will sit here where we can get a good view of you all.” “And we want to hear about everything you have done over there,” broke in Amy eagerly. “Please, everything! right from the beginning.” The boys fidgeted, looked dismayed, and Roy burst forth in protest. “Oh, I say!” he cried. “We’ll do anything else for you, but please don’t ask us to do that.”