“Oh, good. I have to drop off a housewarming gift for the Jacksons, then I’ll be over in time for lunch.”

“You’re already on the island?”

“I am; you’ll be interested in what came over on the same ferry as I.” He hung up.

Dino and Viv came down the stairs. Primmy had yet to surface.

“Lance Cabot is joining us. He’ll be staying in the guesthouse.”

“When?” Dino asked.

“Any minute, I expect.”

—

Lance walked in fifteen minutes later. “Hello, everybody; what’s for lunch?”

“I thought we’d stroll over to the yacht club and have some of their famous burgers.”

“Sounds good.”

“What did you see on the ferry?” Stone asked.

“I was lucky to get aboard,” Lance said. “It was filled with an army of construction people and their equipment, worthy of the Seabees. I followed them down the road toward the point as far as the Jacksons’ place, where I left their gift on the front porch, then returned here.”

“They had to be headed to the Stones’ new house,” Stone said. “Billy Hotchkiss told me they were starting today.” Stone looked up to see Primmy descending the stairs, looking fresh and new.

“Ah, Primmy!” Lance shouted, gathering her up for a hug and a kiss at the bottom of the stairs. “I didn’t know you knew Stone.”

“I didn’t, Lance, until recently.” She seemed unabashed that she had been spotted leaving Stone’s bedroom.

There was a little catching up to do. It seemed that Lance had known Primmy’s family when he was at Harvard.

“Shall we adjourn to the yacht club?” Stone asked. “It’s early, and we’ll need a big table.”

They strolled the fifty yards to the club and secured a table, just ahead of the rush. They were halfway through their lunch when the screen door slammed, and the room fell silent, just for a moment.

Stone turned to see who had elicited that response and saw, standing at the door, looking for a table, his two second cousins, Eben and Enos Stone. To his astonishment, they began making the rounds of the room, saying hello to anyone they knew.

They stopped at Stone’s table; he met them with a glacial stare.

“Hello, Cousin Stone,” they said in unison, as usual.

“Move on,” Stone said. “And as far as I’m concerned, you can keep moving.”

The twins went to the lunch counter, picked up an order they had apparently called in, then left, followed by a smattering of applause and some hisses.

The commodore of the club visited a few tables, asking questions. Finally, he stopped at Stone’s party. “Need I ask what you feel about the Stone twins?” he asked.