“Perhaps it will,” Grace admitted, with a sigh.  “I’ll be glad to have you do it.  Now, is everything arranged for?”

“Well,” answered Betty, “This is how it stands:  We are to start on Tuesday, and motor down the river, taking our time.  Aunt Kate will go with us for the first few days, and, as you know, we have arranged for other chaperones on the rest of the cruise.  We will eat aboard, when we wish to, or go ashore for meals if it’s more convenient.  Of course we will sleep aboard, tying up wherever we can find the best place.

“I plan to get to Rainbow Lake about the second day, and we will spend a week or so on that, visiting the different points of interest—­ I’m talking like a guide book, I’m afraid,” she apologized with a smile.

“That’s all right—­ go on, Little Captain,” said Amy.

“Well, then, I thought we might do a little camping on Triangle, or one of the other islands, say, for three or four days.”

“Don’t camp on Triangle,” suggested Grace.  “There are too many people there, and we can’t be free.  There’d always be a lot of curious ones about, looking at our boat, and our things, and all that.”

“Very well, we can pick out some other island,” agreed Betty.  “You know there is to be a regatta, and water sports, on Rainbow Lake just about the time we get there, and we can take part, if we like.”

“Do!  And if we can get in a race we will!” cried Mollie, with sparkling eyes.

“Uncle Amos has promised to be with us some of the time,” went on Betty.  “And I suppose we will have to invite the boys occasionally, just for the day, you know.”

“Oh, don’t make too much of an effort,” exclaimed Mollie.  “Allen Washburn said he might be going abroad this summer, anyhow.”

“Who said anything about him?” demanded Betty, with a blush.

“No one; but I can read—­ thoughts!” answered Mollie, helping herself to another candy.

“I meant Will and Frank,” went on Betty.  “They would like to come.”

“I’m sure of it,” murmured Grace—­ literally murmured—­ for she had a marshmallow chocolate between her white teeth.

“How about Percy Falconer?” asked Amy, mischievously.  “I am sure he would wear a perfectly stunning—­ to use his own word—­ sailor suit.”

“Don’t you dare mention his name!” cried Betty.  “I detest him.”

“Let us have peace!” quoted Mollie.  “Then it’s all settled—­ we’ll cruise and camp and——­ "

“Cruise again,” finished Betty.  “For we have two months, nearly, ahead of us; and we won’t want to camp more than a week, perhaps.  We can go into the lower river, below Rainbow Lake, too, I think.  It is sometimes rough there, but the Gem is built for rough weather, Uncle Amos says.”

The girls discussed further the coming trip and then, as each one had considerable to do still to get ready, they went gaily to their several homes.

Will came in later, looked moodily into an empty candy box, and exclaimed: