It's ten now; the bathing hour is eleven; I shall be done my book by that time, and we'll go in together if you like." "I'll see about it," Lulu said, walking away.
She went down to the beach and easily whiled away an hour watching the waves and the people, and digging in the sand.

When she saw the others going to the bath-houses she hastened back to her temporary home.
As she entered Betty was tossing aside her book.

"So here you are!" she said, yawning and stretching herself.

"Are you going in ?" "Yes; if papa is angry I'll tell him he should have forbidden me if he didn't want me to do it." They donned their bathing-suits and went in with the crowd; but though no mishap befell them and they came out safely again, Lulu found that for some reason her bath was not half so enjoyable as usual.
She and Betty dined at the hotel where the family had frequently taken their meals, then they strolled down to the beach and seated themselves on a bench under an awning.
After a while Betty proposed taking a walk.
"Where to ?" asked Lulu.
"To Sankaty Lighthouse." "Well, I'm agreed; it's a nice walk; you can look out over the sea all the way," said Lulu, getting up.

But a sudden thought seemed to strike her; she paused and hesitated.
"Well, what's the matter ?" queried Betty.
"Nothing; only papa told me I was to stay at home to-day." "Oh, nonsense! what a little goose!" exclaimed Betty; "of course that only meant you were not to go to the 'squantum'; so come along." Lulu was by no means sure that that was really all her father meant, but she wanted the walk, so suffered herself to be persuaded, and they went.
Betty had been a wild, ungovernable girl at school, glorying in contempt for rules and daring "larks." She had not improved in that respect, and so far from being properly ashamed of her wild pranks and sometimes really disgraceful frolics, liked to describe them, and was charmed to find in Lulu a deeply interested listener.
It was thus they amused themselves as they strolled slowly along the bluff toward Sankaty.
When they reached there a number of carriages were standing about near the entrance, several visitors were in the tower, and others were waiting their turn.
"Let us go up too," Betty said to her little companion; "the view must be finer to-day than it was when we were here before, for the atmosphere is clearer." "I'm afraid papa wouldn't like me to," objected Lulu; "he seemed to think the other time that I needed him to take care of me," she added with a laugh, as if it were quite absurd that one so old and wise as herself should be supposed to need such protection.
"Pooh!" said Betty, "don't be a baby; I can take care of myself and you too.