over her. "The specialist is going to see her soon again. He has some hopes."
"That's good; cheer up, Sis! Come on down town and I'll blow you to a soda."
"'Blow'--such slang! "
"It's no worse than 'hike.'"
"I suppose not. Wait until I fix my hair."
"Good night!" gasped Will. "I don't want to wait an hour. I'm thirsty!"
"I won't be a minute."
"That's what they all say." But Grace was really not very long.
In answer to a telephone message next day the three chums assembled at Betty's house.
"I think we will go for a little trip all by ourselves on the river this afternoon," she said. "Every time, so far Uncle Amos, or one of the boys, has been with us. We must learn to depend on ourselves."
"That is so," agreed Mollie. "It will be lovely; it is such a nice day."
"Just a little trip," went on Betty, "to see if we have forgotten anything of our instructions."
Just then a clock chimed out eight strokes, in four sections of two strokes each.
"Eight o'clock!" exclaimed Amy. "Your timepiece must be wrong, Betty. It's nearer noon than eight."
