CHAPTER XI
AT HOME
A few hours later a train puffed noisily into the familiar station atNorth Bend, and as it came to a stop three boys and three girls tumbleddown the steps of a car and literally ran into the arms of their waitingfamilies.
At least, the girls did; the boys considered themselves far toodignified. However, they soon forgot dignity and everything else in anoisy and joyful recital of all the good times they had had during theiryear of absence.
Of course there had been others from the Military Academy and ThreeTowers Hall on the train whose friends and relatives had also come tomeet them so that it was a very much excited crowd that wound its way upthe ordinarily quiet main street of North Bend.
Gradually the crowd separated into little groups, each going its separateway to its separate home, and so at last, after many promises between theboys and girls to "call each other up right after dinner," the Bradleyfamily found itself alone.
"Well," said Mr. Bradley, beaming proudly upon his children, who seemedto him to have grown at least twice as large during their absence, andthree times as handsome, "you thought you _would_ come back to your poorold country relations, did you? Your mother and I," he glanced fondly athis wife, "thought perhaps you had forgotten us by this time."
"We weren't very much worried, though," said Mrs. Bradley, looking solovely in her happiness that Billie had to snuggle close to her to makesure she was real. For Mrs. Bradley was really a very beautiful woman, aswell as a very sweet one, and Billie was growing more like her every day.
"And there's the darling old house," breathed Billie happily, "lookingjust the same as it did when I left it. Mother dear, and, Dad----" hereshe reached a hand out to her father----"I think I'm the very happiestgirl in all the world."
For a day or two after that it seemed the best thing in the world just tobe at home again. But the third day the girls began to feel a little bitrestless. They were longing to be off to Lighthouse Island with ConnieDanvers. But they had not heard from Connie yet, and until they did therewas nothing to be done but get things in shape and wait.
"Suppose she should change her mind," remarked Laura dolefully on thenoon of the third day.
"Change her mind!" burst out Vi. She turned enquiringly to Billie. "Doyou think Connie would do anything like that?" she demanded.
"Certainly not," was Billie's quick reply. "Connie isn't that kind of agirl. Besides all the arrangements have been made. It is more than likelyshe has been so busy with a number of details that she has simplyforgotten to write or telegraph."
"Well, anyway, this waiting is getting on my nerves," declared Laura.
"Let's do something to make the time pass more quickly," suggestedBillie. "What do you say to going down town for a bit of shopping?"
"That suits me," answered Vi. "And we might have some ice-cream sodaswhile we are down there."
This suited all of them, and soon they were on the way to the shops wherethey spent the best part of the afternoon.
Then one day, over a week later, when they had begun to think that Conniehad forgotten about them, a telegram came from her, saying that she wasstarting for North Bend the day after the next and she would be in on thesix o'clock train. Would somebody please be there to meet her? Her motherand father had gone on ahead to Lighthouse Island to get everything readyfor the girls when they arrived.
Would they be there to meet her! Billie was so excited that she couldn'teat her supper, and as soon as she could get away from the table sherushed over to Laura's home to tell her the joyful news. From there thepair called up Vi and invited her to come and celebrate.
And celebrate they did until it got so late that Mrs. Jordon had gentlybut firmly to put them out, appointing Teddy to escort the girls home.
"I don't want your mothers to think I've kidnapped you," she called afterthem as she and Laura, the latter pouting a little, stood in the doorwayto wave good-bye to them.
"Just the same, I think you might have let them stay a little longer,"protested Laura as they turned to go inside. "It's only ten o'clock, andwe had so much to talk about."
"I know," said Mrs. Jordon, putting an arm lightly about her youngdaughter's shoulders. "I was the same way at your age, dear. Mother hadto send away my friends and put me to bed regularly every week or so. Nowit's my turn, that's all."
Meanwhile Teddy and Billie had dropped Vi at her house and had turneddown the broad, elm-shaded street on which stood the Bradley home.
For some reason or other they did not talk very much. They did not seemto find anything to say. Billie had never been alone like this with Teddybefore, and she was wondering why it made her tongue-tied.
"I say, Billie," began Teddy, clearing his throat and looking down at hersideways--for all the world, as Billie thought, as if she were a mousetrap and might go off any minute--"is it really settled that you aregoing to start day after to-morrow?"
"Yes. And isn't it wonderful?" cried Billie, finding her voice as theblissful prospect opened up before her again. "I've never stayed at theseashore more than a day or two, Teddy, in my life, and now just think ofspending the whole summer there. I can't believe yet that it isn't adream."
"You want to be careful," said Teddy, staring straight before him, "ifyou go in bathing at all. There are awfully strong currents around there,you know."
"Oh, of course I know all about that," returned Billie, with the air ofone who could not possibly be taught anything. "Connie says her Uncle Tomknows of a darling little inlet where the water's so calm it's almostlike a swimming pool. Of course we'll do most of our swimming there. Oh,Teddy, you ought to see my new bathing suit!" She was rattling onrapturously when Teddy interrupted with a queer sort of question.
"Who is this Uncle Tom?" he asked, still staring straight ahead.
"Why, he's Connie's uncle, of course! The keeper of the light onLighthouse Island," answered Billie, as surprised as if he had asked herwho Abraham Lincoln was. "Connie says he's a darling----"
"Is he married?"
"Why no. That is, I don't think so," answered Billie, knitting her browsin an effort to think whether Connie had ever said anything on thispoint. She had never even thought to ask if "Uncle Tom" was married."Why, no, of course he can't be," she answered herself and Teddy at thesame time. "If he was married he wouldn't be living in that oldlighthouse all alone. And Connie said he did live there all alone. Iremember that."
She nodded her head with satisfaction, but, strangely enough, Teddy didnot seem to be satisfied at all. He just stalked along beside her in asort of gloomy silence while she glanced up at him now and then with amischievous hint of a laugh dancing about her pretty mouth.
"Teddy, where are you going?" she asked a minute later, as they reachedthe sidewalk that led to her house and instead of stopping Teddy stalkedstraight on. "I don't live down at the corner you know."
Teddy turned about with a sort of sheepish grin and rejoined her.
"I was just thinking," he said as they turned up the walk together.
"No wonder you went past," said Billie mischievously. Then as they pausedat the foot of the steps she looked up at him with an imp of laughtershowing all the dimples about her mouth. "What were you thinking so hardabout, Teddy?" she dared him.
"I was thinking," said Teddy, clearing his throat and looking anywherebut at Billie, "that I wouldn't mind going down to Lighthouse Islandmyself!"
Then he fled, leaving Billie to get into the house as best she could. ButBillie did not mind. She was chuckling to herself and thinking how funnyand foolish and--yes--awfully nice Teddy could be--sometimes.