"Orange sauce? Yuck!" Jessi looked slightly sick.

"It's not what you think," I told her. "They just mix the ketchup and mustard together.

The Pike kids love it, don't you, Mal?"

"We sure do." Mal nodded enthusiastically. Mallory is the oldest of eight kids, so naturally she is a terrific baby-sitter. The last time she went toSeaCity she was a little young to babysit, so Stacey and I had all the responsibility for her brothers and sisters. Now that Mal is older, her parents have decided to pay her to help us out. But just from time to time. For the most part, they want her to have fun and enjoy her vacation.

Every year Mal's family rents a big house at the beach, and the kids love it. Stoneybrook is on the water, but it isn't the same thing. It isn't a "beach town" thewaySeaCity is. There must be a million things to do inSeaCity , and I don't mean just the ocean and the boardwalk.

"Remember how much fun we had atTrampolineLand ?" Stacey said.

"And Fred's Putt-Putt Course!" Mal exclaimed. "I love miniature golf. And the Ferris wheel, and oh, Candy Kitchen andIce-CreamPalace !"

Kristy looked a little put out by this trip down memory lane, so I decided to change the subject.

"How about you, Claudia? Are you all set forVermont ?"

"I think so," she said softly. She looked a

little wistful and I knew she was thinking of Mimi, her grandmother. Mirni died recently, and this year's vacation in the mountains just wouldn't be the same without her. The Kishis were even going to a different spot, because it would be too painful to go back to the old place.

"I suppose we can close the meeting now," Kristy said reluctantly. I know she was disappointed that most of us were taking off for exciting places, while she and Jessi would be stuck at home in Stoneybrook.

"Gosh, I'm going to miss everybody," I said suddenly. It had just dawned on me that I wouldn't see my friends for two whole weeks!