Page:Anderson--Isle of seven moons.djvu/294

282 own liking for the new friend, or rather acquaintance. She wasn't such a bad sort even if, as she had remarked, "their styles" were so different and she painted and smoked—and even swore at times. And she was decidedly good entertainment.

"It's queer about this love-stuff, isn't it? Now me and Phil's no more alike than caviar is like baked beans. But I've fallen for him somehow, and now you're not in the runnin'—we can be friends."

"You haven't told me yet where he is."

"Oh, he came with me in his father's yacht."

"He's here, then?"

"Surest thing you know, dearie. Otherwise I wouldn't have come. He's a fool kid and he just had to have a nurse—but all on the level—do you get me?"

Sally picked out the thread of reason in this vernacular maze, and nodded. But she was thinking that they must hurry about that gold, with the searchers increasing in number each day. If it was there, it belonged rightfully to Ben. But it was a fair game. Let them all have a try at it.

Carlotta rose.

"If I was you, girlie, I'd get back to God's Country as quick as I could, but I can't swim, so what's the use. I don't like that floating bottle stuff and the gold and those skeletons. Too much for a sensible human bein'. I tell you somethin'll happen before we get through."

"That's what Spanish Dick says. He read it in the cards. Of course I didn't believe him but"