Marjorie at Seacote

hoppers! What

place, whose lawn showed some sand spots here and there, and whose trees w

er brother's enthusiastic tones, and standing

ng Island, not very far from Rockaway Beach. It was a sort of park or reservation in which building

the bungalow he wanted, and it was this picture

by verandas, some of which were screened by

erally to the door, for the road ran between the sea and the house, and a boardwalk was between the road and the sea. But n

the open doors seemed to invite the famil

h the whole house," said King,

ally wasn't any attic, except a sort of low-ceiled loft. However, they climbed up into this, and then down through the various bedrooms o

, nodding his head in appro

Almost an acre of ground was theirs, and though as yet em

"then I guess we'll have a big swi

upplemented Mr. Maynard,

Marjorie, "but we can have

e ocean and the beach, I doubt i

he ocean! Come on, Father,

been to the seashore since she was a small child, plumped hers

," she said. "I just want to stay here

he fine white sand, and poking her hands in,

Sit down, won't you, and let us b

ing suit. But I don't care for pockets full of sand. Now, I'm going back to

h was flat and smooth, and its white sand was full of shells, and here and there a few bits of s

a place?" cried Marjo

e last year," said King, "w

nice as this, was

is the nicest sand I ever saw.

r? It is

on the beach. It's lots of fun.

t. How do

r a lot of wood

, gathering armfuls of wood and piling it up

her arms ached as she laid down her

ng. But never mind, it will make a start. I'll s

we'd better ask Father about makin

ade a fire 'most ev

each fires, his father told him he might build one, and t

and apples from the kitchen,

our wood?" c

emained of their carefu

s stolen it!

people over there, and they're grown-ups.

ren't coming up ne

might have be

wave. That wood w

ee from their looks they wouldn't. They're reading aloud. And in the o

are lots of footprints, and I

y footprints, imprinted all over each other, as if scurr

e!" cried Marjorie, in admiration. "Bu

proved at once that they were not hers. Nor did King's shoes

and stole that wood. Here are two

ey lead to?" said

trace them and g

distance the footprints became fainter, and i

re about the wood, but I hate to lose t

bury these apples and potatoe

sures in the nice, clean sand, and mark

ving at the water's edge, rose in a low bluff farther back, and this offer

ey came suddenly upon three boys who sat,

her angrily, upon which the three a

od!" began Kin

rned the biggest b

u bring it o

for

o you think it would be f

on, kids!" And that remarkable

you're so willing, you needn

ive in that green house next to yours. And we're named Tom, Dick, and Harry. Yes, I know you think those names sound funny,

r as he named them, and they ducked fo

e, with an accusing glance, as if surprised that

e big family, and we wanted to know how you'd behave about the wood. You've been fine, and now we'll cart it ba

ynards could see at once that Tom was

ou're all right, and so you may take it back. But we don't help you do it,-see? I'm Kingdon Maynard, and

id Tom. "Come

et sat on the sand and watched them till the

u boys'll do. Now, come on

eeded to become friends. The boys built the fire, and gallantly let

ng themselves, they treated King more decorously, and seemed to consider Marjorie

ter," said Tom; "and we're a

I haven't such deep awe of them. But Midget w

dly fashion, for she liked th

he asked him, in her

Tom, "and the other ki

een in July. So we're all in the same years. I wish our Kitty was

at the potatoes with a stick,

l there is. She's girly, all right, and yet she's as good as

ked at Marjorie in s

and we haven't any girl cousins, or anything; and the only girls I ever see are at da

arjorie, frankly, "and I guess we'

Are you going to

tember, when s

funny we live next

black potato out of the red-hot embers. "This i

ed King. "One done,-all do

with more delighted anticipations than would have

and sticking her finger in her mouth. "Ow! tha

th genuine sympathy, but the C

ry," cried Tom. "Do

e habit of complaining when she got hurt, but

it up," said

k is our good boy. He alw

id Marjorie. "My handkerchief is all

lushing with embarrassment, took a nea

are Dicky always has the right thing at the

f round Marjorie's finger, and secured it

"Kerosene is good, but as we haven't any, it will help

med Midget. "You t

a doctor when I g

cured the cat's broken leg, an

lushing at his achievements. "Are you g

ss they're bad enough for us to go to bed. Give me an

plied with the best of the potatoes and

other girls in Sea

any others, though there may be some. Most of the people in the cottages haven't any children,-or else they're grown up,-b

why you stol

t that'd be a good way

way," said King,

sort, you'd take it all right; and if you weren't

o," agree