Aren't they sweet, and don't they remind you of brides?"

From Escondido it was a short run to the sea and their first glimpse
of the majestic Pacific was from a high bluff overhanging the water.
From this point the road ran south to San Diego, skirting the coast
along a mountain trail that is admitted to be one of the most
picturesque rides in America.

Descending the hills as they neared San Diego they passed through
fields of splendid wild flowers so extensive and beautiful that
our girls fairly gasped in wonder. The yellow and orange poppies
predominated, but there were acres of wild mustard throwing countless
numbers of gorgeous saffron spikes skyward, and vistas of blue
carconnes, white daisies and blood-red delandres. The yucca was in
bloom, too, and added its mammoth flower to the display.

They did not halt at San Diego, the southernmost city of California,
from whence the Mexican line is in plain sight, but drove to the bay,
where Wampus guided the limousine on to the big ferryboat bound for
Coronado. They all left the car during the brief voyage and watched
the porpoises sporting in the clear water of the bay and gazed
abstractedly at the waving palms on the opposite shore, where lies
nestled "the Crown of the Pacific"--Coronado.




CHAPTER XVIII

THE SILENT MAN