Aunt Ada, and she has been nearly sick over it," put in Molly.
"She cried herself to sleep last night, and the reason she wouldn't go
sailing with us the other day was because she wanted to hunt for the
pin."

"You poor little darling, how can I make up to you for all this
trouble?" said Miss Ada compassionately. "I am so sorry; it is all my
fault for not telling you in the first place."

On the strength of this there seemed no better time to confess her
doings of the afternoon when she had gone to Green Island in the
_Leona_, and so Mary faltered out her tale, Molly once in a while
coming in with excuses and comments so that in the end Miss Ada was not
"vexed" at all but only said, "If it had been any one but Ellis, I
might feel inclined to warn you against going out in a row-boat, but he
is a good, careful little lad, and if you will call it quits, Mary, I
will, for I am conscience-stricken my own self; but next time, dearie,
ask me when you want to go on the water."

"Oh, I will, I will," said Mary fervently. "It was because I felt so
dreadful at losing the brooch that I didn't tell this time."

"It is a perfect shame," said her Aunt Ada, cuddling her close. "I
hope now you will never find the old pin. I never want to see it
again, for it would remind me of how my dear little niece suffered."

"But I was bad. I deceived you." Mary's head went down again in her
aunt's lap. "I was afraid to tell you," she murmured.

"Afraid of what, dear child? Not of your Aunt Ada?"

"I don't know, oh, I don't know why I was so scared. Miss Sharp is
always so terribly severe when we are careless or try to get out of any
thing we have done wrong."

"But I'm not Miss Sharp, honey. Just forget all about this, if you
love me. Of course you weren't quite frank, but you were scared and it
is as much my fault as yours; mine and Miss Sharp's," she added half to
herself.

Yet they were destined to see the pin again, for that very afternoon,
as they were coming home, whom should they meet but Polly and Grace.
"Guess what we've found!" cried Grace.

"See, Miss Ada, we were looking for birds' nests between your cottage
and ours, and we found this caught in the grass just near where a
sparrow had built. Polly says she thinks it is yours, that it looks
like one you lent to Mary to wear to the party." And she held out the
little shining star in the palm of her hand.

Miss Ada took it and gave a whimsical look at Mary. "Ye