it off and she'd fall," she
confessed to Mary.

It took but a little time to bring Uncle Dick and one of his friends
who swung themselves down easily and set the two stranded children upon
a safe spot, none too soon, for a big wave almost immediately sent a
shower of salt spray over the rock where they had been standing.

"You would have been drenched to the skin," said Uncle Dick as he led
the way to the house, while, left to their fate, the wicked Roseberries
perished miserably.

_CHAPTER XII_

_East and West_

By the middle of September the cottages on the Point were nearly all
deserted, though the Reids lingered on, to the children's satisfaction.

"Oh, dear, I don't want to go back to school, to horrid old examples
and things, although I do want to see my dear Miss Isabel," said Molly,
one morning just before the close of their stay.

"I don't want to see Miss Sharp, I can tell you that, but I do want to
see mother and Reggie and Gwen," said Mary.

"I hate to leave you all," Polly put in, "though I shall be glad to see
mamma and papa and the boys. I'll like to see the ponies too, and the
mountains and everything, but I do wish you girls were going with me."
She really had fewer regrets than her cousins for Polly loved the
freedom of the west, and the miles between seemed very long to the
little girl who had seen neither father, mother nor brothers for three
months. To Mary the delights of unlimited supplies of sweet potatoes
and corn, bountiful plates of ice-cream, freedom from the vigilance of
a strict governess, and the range of fields and woods, where one need
not fear of trespassing, and which were not enclosed by high walls, all
these compensated much for her separation from her family.

The time for her leave-taking of America was drawing near, however, for
her father wrote that they would probably sail about the first of
October, and Uncle Dick would take Polly home about the same time.
Aunt Ada, too, had promised to go to Colorado for a visit so Polly felt
that she had anticipations the others did not have.

"I wish we could all go to Polly's; that's what I wish," declared
Molly. "I wish my father and mother and Mary and Miss Ainslee were all
going."

"I speak for Miss Ainslee to sit with me," said Uncle Dick coming up
with an open letter in his hand. He handed a second letter to Molly.
"Can you read it?" he asked.

"Of course I can," returned Molly indignantly. Then she added, "Ma