The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View
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OR
THE BOX THAT WAS FOUND IN THE SAND
BY LAURA LEE HOPE
AUTHOR OF "THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE," "THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS,"
"THE BOBBSEY TWINS," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED_
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
BOOKS FOR GIRLS
BY LAURA LEE HOPE
* * * * *
12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume.
50 cents, postpaid.
=THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES=
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW
=THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES=
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOW BOUND
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH
THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA
=THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES=
For Little Men and Women
THE BOBBSEY TWINS
THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE
THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT
THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOWBROOK
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY
GROSSET & DUNLAP.
* * * * *
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW
[Illustration: MOLLIE BROUGHT UP OUT OF THE HOLE A CURIOUS IRON
BOX.--_Page 74._
_The Outdoor Girls at Ocean View._]
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I ANTICIPATIONS 1
II INTERRUPTIONS 9
III PREPARATIONS 17
IV OFF FOR OCEAN VIEW 26
V OLD TIN-BACK 36
VI THE BOYS 44
VII THE STORM 53
VIII THE MEN IN THE BOAT 61
IX THE BOX IN THE SAND 69
X CONJECTURES 75
XI THE CIPHER 81
XII THE FALSE BOTTOM 89
XIII THE DIAMOND TREASURE 95
XIV SEEKING CLUES 101
XV A NIGHT ALARM 109
XVI ON THE BEACH 118
XVII ANOTHER ALARM 126
XVIII ANXIOUS DAYS 135
XIX THE PICNIC 146
XX CAUGHT 154
XXI ON THE SCHOONER 163
XXII THE SEARCH 172
XXIII SMUGGLED DIAMONDS 181
XXIV TO THE RESCUE 190
XXV ALL'S WELL--CONCLUSION 199
THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW
CHAPTER I
ANTICIPATIONS
Three girls were strolling down the street, and, as on the occasion when
the three fishermen once sailed out to sea, the sun was going down. The
golden rays, slanting in from over the western hills that stood back of
the little town of Deepdale, struck full in the faces of the maids as
they turned a corner, and so bright was the glare that one of them--a
tall, willowy lass, with a wealth of fluffy, light hair, turned aside
with a cry of annoyance.
"Oh, why can't the sun be nice!" she exclaimed, half-petulantly.
"What do you want it to do, Grace?" asked a vivacious, dark-complexioned
sprite next to the complaining one. "Go under a cloud just to suit you?"
"No, my dear, I'm not as fussy as that!"
"Indeed not!" chimed in the third member of the trio, a quiet girl, with
thoughtful eyes. "What Grace wants is some nice young fellow to come
along with an umbrella, hoist it over her, and invite her in to have--a
chocolate soda!"
"Why, Amy Blackford! I'll never speak to you again!" gasped the accused
one, blushing vividly, the more so as the rays of the setting sun fell
upon her face. "All I said was----"
"Look!" suddenly interrupted the vivacious member of the small party--a
party that attracted no little attention, for at the sight of the three
pretty girls, strolling arm in arm down the main thoroughfare of the
town, more than one person turned for a second look.
"Gracious! What is it?" demanded Grace. "Did you see--some one, Billy?"
"No--something," came the answer from the dark girl with the boyish
name, and at a glance you could understand why she was called so. There
was such a wholesome, frank and comrade-like quality about her, though
she was not at all masculine, that "Billy" just suited.
"Look," she went on. "Isn't that a perfectly gorgeous display of
chocolates!" and she indicated the window of a confectionery store just
in front of them.
"Oh, I _must_ have some of those!" cried Grace Ford. "Come on in, girls!
I'll treat. They're those new bitter-sweet chocolates. I didn't know
Borker kept them. I'm simply dying for some!" and with this rather
exaggerated statement she fairly pulled her two chums after her into the
store.
"Look!" Grace went on, pausing a moment when inside the shop to glance
at the chocolate display in the show-window. "Did you ever see anything
so--so appetizing?"
"It looks like a display at a picnic candy kitchen," murmured she who
had been called Billy.
"Why, Mollie Billette!" reproached Grace Ford. "I think it's perfectly
splendid."
"But not appetizing," declared Amy Blackford. "I don't see how you can
think of eating any, when it's so near dinner time, Grace."
"We don't have dinner until seven, and it's only five. Besides, I'm not
going to eat many--now."
"No, she'll take a box home, and keep them in bed, under her pillow--I
know her," put in Mollie, alias Billy. "I slept with her one night and I
wondered whether she had lumps of coal, or some kitchen kindling wood
between the sheets. But it wasn't--it was chocolates! The box had worked
out from under her pillow in the night and----"
"Mollie Billette! You promised never to tell that!" pouted Grace. "I
don't care. They were hard chocolates, and didn't do any damage."
"No, and they weren't damaged, either," laughed Mollie. "I know we sat
up eating them until your mother came in and made us go to sleep. Oh,
Grace, you certainly are hopeless when it comes to chocolates!"
A smiling clerk came up to wait on the girls, and while Grace was
pointing out what she wanted, the two friends stood aside, talking in
low tones.
"Where are you going this summer?" asked Mollie, of Amy.
"I don't know. Henry isn't just sure what he will do--at least, he
wasn't the last I talked with him about it. I suppose, though, I shall
go wherever Mr. and Mrs. Stonington go, and that is likely to be the
mountains, I heard them say. What are your plans, Mollie?"
"About as unsettled as yours. I did want to go to the seashore, but
mamma is _so_ afraid of the water for Paul and Dodo. Those children
never seem to grow, and half my pleasure is spoiled giving way to them."
"Oh, but they are such sweet dears!" protested Amy.
"Yes, I know, but you ought to live with them a year or so. Did I tell
you Paul's latest?"
"I think not."
"Well, he has a rocking-horse, you know, and the other day----"
"Have some," interrupted Grace, thrusting her bag of chocolates between
her two girl chums, and thus interrupting Mollie's story. "Don't you
want a soda? I've enough change left."
"Soda? Indeed not!" cried Mollie. "And I don't want more than one or two
candies, either!" she went on, as she tried to prevent Grace from
generously emptying half the bag into her small, gloved hands.
The three girls were laughing and--yes, truth compels me to say they
were giggling--when the door of the shop swung open, a girl entered and
at the sight of the newcomer the three burst out with:
"Betty!"
"The Little Captain!"
"Betty Nelson, where were you? We've been looking _all over_ for you!"
"Yes, so I heard," was the calm response of the fourth girl, who swung
in with a certain vigor and lithesomeness as though she had just come
from a game of tennis or basketball. There was a wholesome air of good
health about her, a sparkle in her eyes, and a glow in her cheeks that
told of life in the open.
"I saw you turn in here," she went on, "and I knew I had plenty of time,
as long as I saw Grace with you, so I didn't hurry."
"Oh, I haven't bought so much," declared Grace, with an injured air.
"Just because I want some chocolates now and then----"
"Now--and--_then_!" mocked Betty Nelson, with a laugh. "Better say
_now_--and--_always_. No, thank you," and with a shake of her head she
declined some candy from the bag. "Just had lunch a little while ago.
Mother and I ate on the train."
"Where were you?" demanded Mollie. "At the house they said you were out
of town, and we thought it strange, as you hadn't said anything about
going away, especially as we so recently came back from Florida."
"It was just a little trip, suddenly taken," Betty explained. "Mother
and I went down to the shore to select our summer cottage."
"And did you?" asked Mollie, with sparkling eyes.
"We did, and, oh, it's such a darling place!"
"Where?" came the question in a chorus.
"At Ocean View, the prettiest place on the New England coast, I think.
Of course it's small, and old fashioned, and all that, but----"
"Oh, how I wish _we_ were going to some place like that!" exclaimed
Mollie.
"So do I," chimed in Grace. "Father talks of Lake Champlain again, and I
detest it."
"How about you, Amy?" asked the Little Captain, turning to the quiet
girl.
"I haven't heard where we are going."
"Good!" cried Betty. "This is just what I expected. If you haven't any
plans, none will have to be--un-made. It makes it so much easier."
"Makes what easier?" demanded Mollie.
"My plan, my dear! Listen, I think it's just the loveliest idea. Mother
and I looked at two cottages. One was almost too small, and the other
was much too large, until I unfolded my plan to her. Then she saw that
it was just right."
"Just right for what?" asked Grace.
"Just right for all us girls to go there and spend the summer. Now don't
say a word until you have heard it _all_!" cautioned Betty, as she saw
signs of protest on Amy's face. "You must agree with me--at least for
once."
"As if she didn't always have her way!" remarked Mollie.
"We four--the Outdoor Girls--are going to Ocean View for the summer!"
went on Betty. "We'll have the loveliest, gayest times, for it's the
most beautiful beach! And the cottage is a perfect dear--it's just
charming. Mother has agreed, so it's all settled. All that remains is to
tell your people, and we'll do that right away. Come on!" and leading
her friends forth from the candy-shop, Betty really seemed like some
little captain marshaling her pretty forces.
"The seashore!" repeated Amy. "Oh, I'm sure I should love it!"
"Of course you would, dear!" exclaimed Betty. "And that's where you--and
all of us--are going!"
"Oh, but you are so _sure_!" exclaimed Mollie, in accented tones.
"Oh, but you are so--Frenchy!" half-mocked Betty, with a laugh.
"There! It is all settled! We will spend the Summer at Ocean View! And
now come down to my house and we'll talk about it!"
And, filled with delightful anticipations, the four girls strolled down
the sun-lit street.
CHAPTER II
INTERRUPTIONS
"Come in, girls! Grace, put your chocolates--what are left of them--over
on the mantel. Now sit down, and I'll tell you all about it."
Betty drew forward some easy chairs for her guests, who distributed
themselves about the handsome library, in more or less artistic
confusion. Betty herself took a hard, uncompromising sort of chair, of
teakwood, wonderfully carved by some dead and forgotten Chinese artist.
The seat was of red marble, and the back was inlaid with ivory, in the
shape of a grinning face.
"Do keep yourself close against it, Betty dear," begged Grace, who sat
opposite her friend. "That Chinese face positively hypnotizes me."
"Well, I want you all to be hypnotized into quietness, long enough to
listen to me," spoke Betty, with a charmingly commanding air.
Grace Ford, obediently depositing her chocolates on the mantel, save a
few which she "sequestered" for use during the talk, had tastefully
"draped" herself on a comfortable couch. Mollie, with a mind to color
effect, had seated herself in a big chair that had a flame-colored
velvet back, against which her blue-black hair showed to advantage (like
a poster girl, Betty said), while Amy, like the quiet little mouse which
she was, had stolen off into a corner, where she was half-hidden by a
palm.
"And, now to begin at the beginning," announced Betty. "Oh, I know you
will just love it at Ocean View!" and she gave a little squeal of
delight.
"I wish we were as sure of going as you are," murmured Grace, putting
out the tip of her red tongue, to absorb a drop of chocolate from a
long, slim finger.
"Just you wait," said Betty, half-mysteriously.
And while she is preparing to plunge into the details concerning the new
summer plans, I will take just a moment to tell my new readers something
about the other books of this series, and give them an idea of the girls
themselves.
In "The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale; Or, Camping and Tramping for Fun and
Health," the originating idea of the four girls was set forth. They felt
that they were spending too much time indoors, and they decided to live
more in the glorious open. They felt that they would have better health
and more fun in doing this, and events proved that they were right, at
least in part.
As for the girls themselves, they were Grace Ford, Mollie Billette,
Betty Nelson and Amy Stonington-Blackford, or _nee_ Blackford, if you
dislike the hyphen. But that latter form of name does not indicate that
Amy was married.
In the opening story Amy's name was Stonington, the ward of John and
Sarah Stonington. But there was a mystery in her past, and it was solved
when, in addition to unraveling the mystery of a five-hundred-dollar
bill, Amy found a long-lost brother, whose name was Henry Blackford.
So Amy's real name was found to be Blackford, though she continued to
live with the Stoningtons, and more than half the time her chums called
her by the name under which they had known her so long.
Amy was a girl of quiet disposition, and while she had not been
altogether happy during the time she was unable to solve the mystery
about her identity, when that problem had been cleared up she was of a
much brighter disposition. Still, the years of quiet had had their
effect on her.
Betty Nelson, often called the Little Captain, because she was such a
born leader, was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nelson, the
former a rich carpet manufacturer. Betty loved, to "do things," as
witness her assumption of the summer plans of her chums.
Grace Ford was tall and slender, and often spoken of as a "Gibson" type,
by those who admire that artist's peculiar, and always charming,
conception of young womanhood. Grace lived with her father and mother,
the other member of the family being her brother Will, a hasty,
impulsive lad, whose character had, more than once, gotten him into
trouble, to the no small annoyance of Grace. Grace had one failing, if
such it can be called. She was exceedingly fond of chocolates and other
sweets, and was never without some confection in her possession.
And then there was Billy--as Mollie Billette was nicknamed. Mollie was
the daughter of a well-to-do widow, Mrs. Pauline Billette, whose French
ancestry you could guess by her name and by her appearance and manner.
Mollie was a bit French herself. There were two other children, the
funny little twins, Paul and "Dodo," as Dora called herself in her
lisping fashion. Paul and Dodo were at once the loving care and despair
of Mollie and her mother.
So much for the four chums, who were known as the Outdoor Girls.
After their activities, as set down in the first volume of this series,
they were next heard of at Rainbow Lake, where, in Betty's motor boat,
the _Gem_, they had some stirring and exciting times.
But, stirring as those times were, they were equalled, if not excelled,
when Mollie became possessed of a motor car, and took her chums on a
tour which ended only when the mystery of the haunted mansion of Shadow
Valley was solved.
Glorious days on skates and iceboats followed, when the outdoor girls
went to a winter camp. And then came a contrast when it was learned that
Mr. Stonington had purchased an orange grove in Florida, and that Amy
had the privilege of inviting her friends to spend the winter in the
Sunny South.
For what happened there I refer you to the volume dealing with our
friends' activities amid the palms. Sufficient to say that they
thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They had returned to Deepdale, their home
town on the Argono River, just as spring was budding forth.
And now, this glorious day, the four girls had met once again, and were
ready for something new, which something seemed to be offered by Betty
Nelson.
"You see it's this way, girls," went on the Little Captain, as she
explained matters. "Mother just loves the sea, and she has been wanting
a permanent place there for some time. Papa has been looking about, and
he heard of Edgemere, a beautiful big cottage, almost on the beach. He
said he would buy it if mamma liked it, and so she and I went to look at
it to-day."
"You don't mean to say you have been to Ocean View, and back, this same
day!" exclaimed Grace, in surprise.
"Yes. We went down on the first train this morning--up before the sun,
really, and we arrived before noon. It did not take us long to decide
about the cottage. Mamma and I leased it, with the privilege of buying
in the fall, if we like it. Then we came back, and on the way, in the
train, I asked mamma if I couldn't have you girls down for the summer."
"And she didn't faint at the prospect?" asked Mollie, mischievously.
"The idea!" cried Betty. "Of course not! She was delighted! So, as soon
as our train arrived, which was only a few minutes ago, I started
looking for you. As I came up from the station, leaving mamma to go home
in the car, I spied you three just turning into the candy store."
"Grace is the only one who will 'turn into' a candy store," spoke
Mollie. "She will actually turn into a drop of chocolate some day, if
she isn't careful."
"Smarty!" mocked the fair one.
"Well, I found you there, at any rate," went on Betty, "and you know the
rest; or, rather, you will when I tell you about Edgemere!"
"Edgemere--what's that?" asked Amy.
"It isn't a new kind of confection, even if Grace thinks so," laughed
Mollie.
"I--I'll throw something at you if you don't stop!" threatened the
Gibson girl, but as all she had in her hand was a chocolate, and as she
never would have devoted that to such a purpose, she once more curled up
luxuriously on the sofa.
"Edgemere--on the edge of the ocean," translated Betty. "It's the name
of our cottage. Now, girls, I'm just dying to have you see it. I brought
back some picture postcards of the place. Ocean View is the dearest,
quaintest old fishing village you can imagine. It's like Provincetown,
somewhat, only different, and----"
"What's that?" suddenly interrupted Grace.
"The boys," spoke Mollie. "As if that awful racket could be anything
else."
There sounded on the porch of the Nelson home the heavy tramp of several
feet, and the murmur of eager voices.
"Are the girls here?" someone asked.
"That's my brother, Will--bother! I suppose I have to go home," said
Grace, petulantly.
"I'll go see," offered Betty. "It sounds like more than Will."
"It is!" cried Mollie, peering under the window shade. "There's Amy's
brother, besides Allen Washburn, Roy Anderson and--oh, there's that
johnny--Percy Falconer. What in the world can have brought them all
here?"
"Natural attractions--the magnet--as the flower draws the bee--and so on
and so on," murmured Betty. "I'll ask them in," and she went to meet the
boys whose voices could now be heard in the hall.
CHAPTER III
PREPARATIONS
"Hello, Betty!"
"Is Grace here?"
"Where's Amy? I heard she came this way--oh, yes, they're all here,
boys. We've found the right place."
"Just in time for five o'clock tea, aren't we!"
"What's that? Did Percy get that off? Just for that he sha'n't have any
sweet spirits of nitre!"
A chorus of laughs followed the last remarks, which, in turn, were
uttered after the rather drawling manner of a tall, slim, well-dressed
lad, whose countenance did not betoken any great amount of intelligence.
"Well, it is _time_ for five o'clock tea!" remonstrated the youth who
had been characterized by one of the girls as a "johnny" for want of a
better term.
"Oh, mercy, girls! Percy's got a wrist watch!" gasped Will Ford in
falsetto tones. "The saucy little humming bird! Zip!"
"Behave yourselves or you can't come in!" remonstrated Betty, who had
relieved the maid at the door. "What is this, anyhow; a delegation of
protest or petition?"
"Both," answered Allen Washburn, with a quick, eel-like motion that took
him past his chums and placed him at Betty's side. She blushed a little
at this act, but did not seem displeased.
"We heard you girls had been seen planning some deep-laid scheme, as you
came down the street," went on Will Ford, the brother of Grace, "and we
followed. Where is my sainted sister? Making fudge or looking to see if
some one is going to treat to sodas?"
"I wouldn't get many sodas if I depended on _you_," observed Grace, with
pointed sarcasm.
"Save me!" ejaculated Will, pretending to hide behind Percy. "Don't let
them harm me, will you, old man?"
"Stop!" remonstrated the slim chap, for Will was rather violent in his
action, and Percy Falconer was anything but robust. "Besides, you are
wrinkling my coat," he added.
"Shades of Beau Brummel!" murmured Roy Anderson, rather tousled in
appearance, but with a wholesome, boyish look about him, "Save the
wrist watch, Will."
"Say, what's the idea?" asked Mollie, a bit slangily. "Are you going to
ask us out? If you are we can't go, for we have important business to
transact."
"Yes, fellows, this is the annual session of the Associated Chocolate
Fiends," spoke Will. "If you interrupt you'll be fined a box of
caramels."
The laughing boys and girls crowded into the library. It was not an
unusual occurrence for them all to thus gather at Betty's home, which
seemed to be a rendezvous for such little parties. But the boys seldom
came in such numbers.
"I wonder why they brought that--Percy," whispered Betty, when she had a
chance at Grace's ear.
"No danger--they didn't _bring_ him--he _attached_ himself," replied
Grace. For, be it known, Percy was not very well liked. The boys did not
care for him because of his too well-dressed appearance, and his lack of
appreciation of manly sports. And the girls did not like him--well, for
as much a reason as anything, because Betty did not care for him.
Percy Falconer was, or imagined he was, very fond of Betty. And, to tell
more of the truth, Betty distinctly did not care for Percy, though he
tried to show her attentions. Now if it had been Allen Washburn, the
young law student--well, that is an entirely different story. But as
Allen was present on this occasion, the presence of Percy was rather
mitigated.
"Girls, we've got news for you!" exclaimed Will, when he and the others
had more or less carefully distributed themselves about the library.
"Fine and dandy news!"
"The best ever!" added Henry Blackford, with a nod at Amy, who still
clung to her modest place behind the palm.
"And, if you're real good, we'll let you in on it," declared Allen
Washburn.
"Aren't they condescending, though," mocked Mollie. "As if we didn't
have secrets ourselves!"
"Shall we tell them?" asked Grace.
"Let's hear theirs first," suggested Betty.
"What's the matter, Percy, has your wrist watch stopped?" asked Roy
Anderson, with a chuckle, for the "johnny" was anxiously holding the
timepiece to his ear.
"I--I believe I quite forgot to wind it," was the answer.
"Serious calamity!" murmured Allen, not taking much pains to keep his
voice from Percy. That was one thing about the well-dressed youth; he
never knew when fun was being poked at him.
"No, it's going all right," Percy spoke, after a silent pause. "It's
just five," he added, with a meaning look at Betty.
She choose to ignore it, however, and at a nod from Mollie at once
plunged into the matter she and her chums had been discussing when the
boys interrupted them.
"We have taken a fine cottage at the shore--Ocean View," said Betty,
"and we girls are going to spend the summer there. Don't you boys wish
you were us?"
For a moment the young men looked at one another. Then smiles broke over
their faces, which were beginning to take on the tan that would be
deepened as the summer days approached.
"That sort of takes the edge off our news," spoke Allen. "But we'll tell
you, just the same. One of my clients," he began, "has----"
"Hark to him, would you!" broke in Will. "As if he had more than _one_
client."