"Oh, it's only her way," said Elise; "she doesn't know how to chum,
that's all."

But Patty was not satisfied with this, and determined to investigate the
matter.

"Come for a walk," she said, tucking her arm through Florrie's one
morning. "Let's walk around the deck fifty times all by ourselves. Don't
you want to?"

"Yes, if you like;" and Florrie walked along by Patty's side, apparently
willing enough, but without enthusiasm.

"Why do you put it that way?" asked Patty, smiling; "don't you like to
go yourself?"

"Yes, of course I do; but I always say that when people ask me to do
anything. It's habit, I suppose. All English people say it."

"I suppose it is habit," said Patty; "but it seems to me you'd have a
whole lot better time if you felt more interest in things, or rather, if
you expressed more interest. Now look at the Van Ness girls; they're
just bubbling over with enthusiasm."

"The Van Ness girls are savages," remarked Florrie, with an air of
decision.

"Indeed they're not!" cried Patty, who was always ready to stand up for
her friends. "The trouble with you, Florrie, is that you're narrow-
minded; you think that unless people have your ways and your manners