Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/114

100 Brenda hurried to the others; and as she had still a few minutes to spare, she took a shot at a white-bearded  old man seated on the steps of a boat-house near the  wharf.

“Oh, Julia, I must take you, too; your expression is so comical,” and before Julia could remonstrate the click of  the camera was heard.

“What do you mean by ‘comical’?” asked Julia, just a trifle nettled.

“Why, frightened. You look as if you were afraid to take the plunge down those steps.”

“Well, you know I am not so very fond of the water; and I think that I’d almost as soon sit here on the landing as to take the plunge.”

“You ’ll enjoy it when once you are out there,” said Nora.

“Here it is! here it is! Why, there’s Philip, too!” she exclaimed as a little launch touched the landing, just  as the row-boat from the “Crusoe” arrived there. Mr. Barlow and his party had now descended the steps to the  float below, and Brenda gave a hearty, “The same to you,”  in answer to Philip’s greeting, “Many happy returns of  the day.”

“We ’re pretty sure of a Fourth of July every year,” said Julia, laughing, as Philip leaped from the boat, and  came nearer, to talk to them.

“It’s pleasant to see you, Philip,” said Mrs. Barlow, “although we did n’t expect to have the pleasure. How could you leave Manchester to-day? I understood