"Never!" laughed Bess. "We are Americans, and everything is possible
to us."

The others laughed. Before coming to Porto Rico, they had read books
about the island, in which stress was laid on Spanish customs,
especially about ladies going about without a male member of their
family, or some one to serve as a duenna. But our friends were too
sensible to be hampered by that custom, save at night.

"The boys are probably off enjoying themselves," said Cora. "Jack is
so much better. It has done him a world of good down here. We may
meet them. Come on, let's go out. Oh, there's the sun!"

It was shining for the first time since the storm began, and the
girls hastened to take advantage of it.

"Where's Inez?" asked Belle.

"Lying down, she had a little headache," explained Bess. "We won't
disturb her, and we won't be gone long."

There was a great outpouring of the inhabitants, all anxious to take
advantage of the clearing of the, storm, and the streets were soon
crowded. The girls went down to the sea wall, at a point where Jack
and Walter had made a habit of taking observations from time to time,
and there they found the chums.

"Welcome to our city!" laughed Walter, as he greeted the girls.
"Won't you come and have something cool to drink? It's going to be
insufferably hot!"