those are formed beneath the earth’s surface. Have you girls ever seen a volcano?”
“Sure, once in Mexico Dad took us way up to the top of one where we could look down inside it. I remember how scared I was, looking way, way down deep into the very middle of it.” Jo hesitated a moment in concentration. Then she said slowly, “Oh, I see, when a volcano erupts, you mean, that stuff, what do you call it, lava, I think, comes out and . . .”
“Exactly. Then the air cools and solidifies it into rock. And that is what we geologists believe happened when the earth cooled after it was first formed. Great masses of molten material on and near the surface cooled and hardened. Probably, there were many volcanoes which continued to erupt for a long time afterward. Rocks formed in this way are classified as igneous rocks. The word ‘igneous’ comes from the Latin word for fire.”
“How clear it all becomes when you explain it, Welty,” said Pat. “Much clearer than it was in the book I was reading last night. Now we know that rocks are formed by layers of sediment and by fire.”
“There are variations, too, Pat. But I think we’ve gone far enough in our lesson for one day. We’d better be getting back home for lunch. Something tells me it’s time. This afternoon, if you like, we’ll look at some rock specimens I have in the study.”
“Don’t overload their minds, Welton,” laughed Mavis. “Or you’ll frighten them off.”
“Nonsense, they’re eager to learn about these things, as they should be,” was his earnest reply.
During lunch while Yamoto was serving them, he remarked, “We need food from village, Mliss Glubeh said. Shall I dlive in today, Mliss Dueh?”
“Please do, Yamoto,” Mavis answered. “And why don’t you take Pat and Jo with you? They haven’t seen much of the village—not that there is much to see.”
“Yes, Mliss. Be leady two o’clock please, Mlissy Patty and Jo?”
“But we were going to look at Welty’s rocks, Mavis,” Pat protested.
“There will be plenty of afternoons for that, my dears,” Welton interrupted, after receiving a look from Mavis that meant “let me have my way.”
“Tell Mrs. Gruber I’ll help her with the list after lunch, Yamoto, and the girls will be ready to go when you are.”
Yamoto nodded and retreated to the kitchen. Later, true to his word, he gaily tooted the horn outside the front door of the Lodge at exactly two o’clock. Jo had been watching for him from the living-room window and now called to her sister.
“The sound of that horn tells me Yamoto is getting impatient. Hurry up, Patsy!”
“I’m coming. I can’t find my red jacket. Seen it, Jo?”
Jo giggled. “I sure have. I’m wearing it.” By mutual agreement they often wore each other’s things, but it was usual to ask for them first. “You can wear my red cardigan if you must have something red,” Jo suggested.
“Okay, I’m ready.” Pat emerged from the bedroom wearing the sweater over a crisp white blouse and flared gray cotton skirt. The automobile horn tooted once again, this time even more insistently.
“We can all sit in front, can’t we?” Jo asked, as she plopped down next to Yamoto.
“Yes, Mlissy.” He grinned at his two charges as he reached across them to pull the door closed. Then he put the car in gear and they were on their way.
The drive to the village was a short one and the road they followed was lined on either side with giant shade trees. At intervals these trees arched and met in the middle, reminding Patty of an aisle in a cathedral.
While Yamoto attended to the groceries, he suggested that the girls walk around and do a little exploring. When this was settled they agreed to meet him at the car in an hour or so.
“Let me see, now, which way shall we go, Jo? Toward that sign that says ‘Telegraph Office’ or toward the one lettered ‘Gifts’?”
“Does it really matter too much?” Jo laughed. “Since this is the village square, we’ll pass them both in either case. But I think I can guess what’s in the telegraph office. Let’s walk the other way. Gifts sound more interesting.”
Off they went arm in arm. They walked slowly past the small stores, stopping now and then to window-shop. Even the window of the hardware store beckoned to them.
“It’s strange when you stop to think of it, Jo. I mean, in a large city who would bother looking at tools and things unless, of course, you were going to buy something like that? Yet, here we are with our noses pressed against the glass deciding which garden trowel is the best buy.”
“You’re right, sis. I think it’s because life goes on at a more leisurely tempo in towns like this. In bigger places everyone feels he has to rush hither and thither even if he’s just going for a walk around the block.”
“My, my, who would have expected to hear such philosophizing here in Harker’s Cove?” came a voice from behind them.
The twins whirled to see who had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Prepared to be annoyed by the intrusion, they came face to face with Dick and two strangers.
“These are the Faraday twins, Pat and Jo, that I was just telling you about, Elaine. Girls, this is Elaine Anderson and her brother, George. They’re regular summer residents here.”
Pat was sure right off that they were going to like these two. A graceful girl about their age, Elaine was a blue-eyed blonde with delicately carved, perfect features. She looked almost artificial, but the way her mouth curved crookedly when she smiled revealed that she was not merely pretty to look at. She was mischievous, too. Her brother was two years older, also blond, and had a rather sober appearance at first glance. Closer inspection, however, found that a pair of merry, brown eyes and a sprinkling of light freckles across the bridge of his nose belied his straight lips and square chin. It was evident, also, that he enjoyed the outdoors, for his face and arms were already bronzed from the sun and weather.
When they had exchanged greetings, Dick announced, “It seems as if lunch time was hours ago. What do you say we all have a soda?” Seeing they were in agreement with his suggestion, he led the way into a small, clean-looking drugstore at the corner of the square. They each climbed up on a high stool at the counter and gave their orders to a pleasant boy on duty.
When their refreshments came, George first took a long sip of his malted, then asked, “Dick seems to know a good deal about you two, yet it’s strange we never met before. In a place as small as this you’re usually bound to know everybody in ten minutes and we’ve been here nearly a week.”
Jo supplied the answer, explaining how she and Pat had been there only once before and then it was wintertime. “And we only just returned from school yesterday,” she finished.
“I see,” said Elaine. “No wonder we didn’t know you then. We’re only able to come here summers, although I’ve begged and begged Mother and Dad to come at Christmastime. But I thought Mr. Duer was a kind of an old recluse. Dick insists not, though you know what a tease he is. Like that wild tale of yours,” she stared accusingly at Dick, “that these girls had trapped a bandit!”
“That’s
