Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/141

Rh good appetite. The cakes and lemonade that had been served them on the “Balloon,” had satisfied their hunger  only for the time being. For the picnic repast which Mrs. Redmond had prepared they chose a sheltered nook near Fort Sewall, and they sat there on the heights until after  the sunset gun, watching with delight the illumination  of the yachts in the harbor, and the fireworks sent up from  the shore. Mrs. Redmond listened with great interest to their description of the “Balloon,” and rejoiced that Amy  had had this red-letter day.

The Rockley young people wound up the day very delightfully on the “Crusoe.” At Mr. Elston’s urgent  invitation, Tom and Philip deserted the “Balloon” for the  larger boat.

A few minutes before sunset the girls noticed a sailor standing by the halyards of each yacht within sight. Then when the sunset gun was heard, every flag was pulled down, and the night-hawks went up in their place. Gradually at the bow of each yacht appeared its light, and, as it grew darker, other lights were seen in the rigging. Some of the larger boats had their whole decks outlined with electric lights, and the whole scene was one of great  beauty.

When the girls expressed their admiration for the electric lights, Philip regretted that they had n’t an electric plant  on the “Balloon.”

“There’s only one little storage battery for the light in the binnacle. But who knows what we may have next year. Anything to please you,” he whispered