Their mother and older sisters were away.

Dora was thankful Mirabel was there, at least.

She had been afraid she would be alone in a crowd of boys.

Mirabel was almost as bad as a boy--she was so noisy and sunburned and reckless.

But at least she wore dresses.
"We've come to go fishing," announced Davy.
"Whoop," yelled the Cottons.