Fall had come to the Catnip Corners Academy. The girls were all back at school and busy with classes and sports and other extra-curricular activities. Although the first day of autumn had come and gone, summer weather lingered on, much to everyone’s delight.
One fine evening, some of the girls were outside enjoying the warmth. Wendy and Cathy were winding up some yarn that they had dyed earlier in the week. Courtney was petting Bingo the Beagle while reviewing some tricky vocabulary words for a test the next day. Quinn was reading, while Candace was practicing modeling a dress she had made for a fashion show her home economics class would be putting on later in the month. Angel, who was the official photographer for Catnip Capers, the school newspaper, was trying to get a photo of Candace to use for publicity for the show.
"Hold still, Candace; you are wobbling," Angel admonished.
"It’s these shoes," Candace explained. "I am not used to high heels."

Suddenly Roxy came onto the scene, with her arms filled with letters. It was her job to distribute the mail; the girls took turns and each person served for a week.
"Guess what," said Roxy excitedly, "We are invited to go to Ocean City for the weekend."
Everyone was very pleased at this news, but not so pleased when Roxy added, "but only two people can go, and we have to decide among ourselves who it should be."
"I think we should pick alphabetically by first name," suggested Angel.
"I think we should do that, but start at the end of the alphabet with Z," joked Wendy, who was well aware that Wendy Yvonne was the last name on the current enrollment list and as a result she was always the last to be called on when Twinns were chosen alphabetically.
"I think the prettiest girls should go," said Candace, tossing her blonde ringlets. "After all, the sea air is so good for one’s complexion."
"I think they should pick the girls who were born in the year of the whale," Quinn said with a nod, trying to remember if there actually was a year of the whale in the Chinese zodiac.
"Quinn, you were born in the year of the rabbit," laughed Roxy. "I don’t think that will work."
"Darn," said Quinn. She made a face at Roxy.

"I think we’d better do the folded paper bit and pick from a hat," said Cathy, quickly, before Roxy could point out that SHE had been born in the year of the monkey. "That is the only fair way. Roxy, hand over some of that junk mail!"
The girls got to work with Wendy’s scissors and the mail was recycled and cut into small pieces with two of them having "BEACH" written on them with Candace’s favorite pink marker. Courtney got a cooking pot from the kitchen and she accompanied Roxy. As Roxy delivered the mail, Courtney had everyone pick a slip of paper. Cathy was the first excited winner. Courtney and Roxy visited dorm rooms and the soccer field and even the library, until finally only two pieces of paper were left. "Well, it’s either you or me," said Roxy, picking one and opening it. "Blank," she sighed. "Rats. Looks as if you are the lucky one who gets to go, Courtney."
Courtney opened the last slip and saw that she indeed would be going to the shore along with Cathy. "This is wonderful," she said happily. "I can’t wait! I have never been to the seaside before!"

"Maybe Candace would loan us her gown," joked Courtney. "No, I am looking forward to just a quiet time of relaxing and going to the beach. I don’t think we need to dress up."
"Did you see the gown that Wendy knitted for the show?" Rayanne chuckled. "She made it out of eyelash yarn. It is all furry and she looks like the abominable snowman in it."
"That reminds me, Cathy - better pack a couple of sweaters just in case," said Courtney.
"Good idea. Maybe Wendy will loan us a couple of her masterpieces," Cathy decided. "And I see that Angel said we could borrow her camera. I will also get some pajamas and then I think we will be all set."

The Twinns enjoyed the drive down thoroughly, they were so used to see their own neighbourhood that anything outside of it was awesome. Naturally they kept on asking.... "When are we going to get there?" and "Are we there yet?" but finally they arrived and with great anticipation, Courtney and Cathy climbed the stairs to the condo. "This is so neat," said Cathy. "I can’t wait to see the inside." She and Courtney were both charmed by the large living room and kitchen area, and ran around exploring all the bedrooms. "Look at the neat balcony this one has. Let’s share it," suggested Courtney, not wanting to admit she was sometimes a little nervous in the dark in strange places.

"OK," Cathy agreed. "Uh, Courtney, where is our suitcase?"
"Oops - I thought you had it," grinned Courtney. "Guess we left it down on the sidewalk." The two of them slid down the banister to take the fastest route down to the street and claim their belongings.
"Courtney, I think next time we just walk down the stairs." Said Cathy after her collision with the endpost.
Courtney giggled, "I had a nice soft landing, I don't see what the problem is."

Then they changed into their bathing suits and made a quick run to the beach.
"Wow! look at the size of this kitty box Cathy!"
"We better not tell all the kitty's back home about it, they will all want to know why we never brought any sand home for them."
The ocean was very warm and the girls had a lot of fun swimming and jumping over the waves. Later, when they were tired, they headed back to the house and relaxed in the living room.
"What shall we do tomorrow?" asked Cathy.
"Here is a pamphlet about the zoo," Courtney replied. The two girls studied it eagerly, making plans to visit the next morning.

That evening Courtney helped fix a few of Cathy’s braids which had come undone while she was swimming. Then Cathy convinced Courtney (who didn’t much like to fuss or dress up) to let her braid and put beads in Courtney’s hair. "Only a couple, though," Courtney said.

"Oh, Courtney, you look great," said Cathy admiring her work. "You will be the hit of the zoo."
Courtney just laughed. "Right now I want to be the hit of the bed," she said. "All that fresh air is making me really tired."
"Yes, but just think how good it is for our complexions," joked Cathy, as she climbed under the covers. "Good night!"

The next morning the girls were up bright and early, full of energy and with too many plans for so short a period of time.
"I wish we could stay here longer" Said Courtney.
"Me too, this sea air is so bracing." Agreed Cathy, "although I don't like the look of those seagulls, they look mean!"
"Don't worry Cathy, I will protect you, I have the use of a beach umbrella this morning, no seagull will dare do his business on your head while I am here."
"Excellent idea Courtney, and I think your umbrella will make a perfect spot for a mid morning snooze. I need a nap before we hit the zoo."

But, as everybody knows, when you are having fun the time goes way too fast, they wrote postcards to the girls back home, and they did take a trip to the zoo and saw all kinds of animals, from flamingos (which Cathy really liked) to a very handsome tiger who was Courtney’s favorite. They also waved at the crocs who were having a snooze in their pool. "That reminds me of Carlisle's reflecting pool back home. "
"Yes but Carlisle doesn't have so many sharp teeth."
Courtney and Cathy spent their last morning on the beach and they had a last swim in the ocean again and collected shells and some pretty round stones and even fed the gulls without the protection of Courtney's beach umbrella. They even did some last minute shopping for gifts for everybody back home! However, as it is in all vacations, all too soon, the time came to go home.

"That’s it; we are all packed," said Cathy, who had to sit on the suitcase while Courtney zipped it up. "I wish we didn’t have to leave."
"Me, too," Courtney agreed sadly. They took the suitcase down the stairs and went to the garage. "I hope we can come back again sometime, Cathy. Do you know I never did get to find any buried treasure".
"Me neither, but I did make lots of great memories and those are something to treasure too."
"I never thought of that, just think how envious everybody is going to be when we get back home.
"It's a good thing we are bringing back a lot of salt water taffy. That should keep them quiet for a little while at least!"
"Oh yes, there are going to be quite a few green faced Twinns when we get home. Come on, we better get these bags loaded, its a long trip home and I don't know about you but I am bushed. I am going to need another holiday to recover from this one."

Courtney and Cathy were back at the Academy and after a few days had passed it seemed as if they had never been gone. Still, they had their memories and photos and the salt water taffy to remind them.
One late afternoon the girls were outdoors. Libby was making bracelets and everyone was wearing one, even Carlisle. "I think gold really suits me," he commented, wishing he had a mirror to see how he looked. Courtney was working on a research paper on the Vikings. Cecilia was reading poems that were part of her English literature assignment, while Taryn worked on her German. All the girls were eating taffy while they worked.

"Carlisle," said Taryn, "What is the German word for crocodile?"
Carlisle, who had managed to find a chocolate piece of taffy, was not able to speak for a minute. He set the taffy on the table. "Das Krokodil," he replied. "Not much different from English except for the K's."

Nearby, Jin Ran was helping Katie by pinning up the hem of the gown that Katie had made for the Home Ec fashion show. "Don't wiggle, Katie," said Jin, "or it will get crooked."
"It looks like she is wearing her bathrobe," whispered Cecilia to Courtney.
"I know it looks like my bathrobe," said Katie, who overheard her, "but Jin and Libby are going to help me sew beads on it and then I hope it will look more like a Renaissance Princess gown."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Cecilia agreed. "Sorry, Katie, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"That's OK," Katie began, when Cathy, who was delivering the mail, came over to the group.
"Hi everyone. Here's the mail. Guess what, Carlisle, the peanut butter cups you ordered have arrived."
"Good," said Carlisle, taking the bag from Cathy. "Thank you, Cathy."
"Don't forget your friends," all the girls were saying. "And don't forget, I am your very good friend," Taryn added.
Carlisle laughed. "Don't worry, girls, there is enough to share. I promised Cavendish and Clinton some, though, so don't take them all."
"And look," Cathy added, "Courtney, the postcard we sent from Ocean City finally arrived."

"Wow," said Courtney. "We got back way before it did. I wonder whether the Vikings ever visited Ocean City."
"If they did, they didn't have as good a time as we did," said Cathy. "I hope everyone can go next year."