walks by London, who thought his little mistress far
superior to the other children.

"Don't cry, Melvina," pleaded Luretta. "We will find your bag, and we
will wash the stains from your stockings and dress, and help you back up
the slope. Don't cry," and Luretta put a protecting arm about the
frightened Melvina. "Your hat has only slipped from your head; it is
not hurt at all," she added consolingly.

Melvina was finally comforted, and Anna climbed up the slope to search
for the missing bag, while Luretta persuaded Melvina to take off her
stockings in order that they might be washed.

"They'll dry in no time," Luretta assured her. "I can wash them out
right here in this clean puddle, and put them on the warm rocks to dry."
So Melvina reluctantly took off her slippers, and the pretty open-work
stockings, and curling her feet under her, sat down on a big rock to
watch Luretta dip the stockings in the little pool of sea water near by,
and to send anxious glances toward the sandy bluff where Anna was
searching for the missing bag.

CHAPTER III

MELVINA MAKES DISCOVERIES

The sun shone warmly down on the brown ledges, the little waves crept up
the shore with a pleasant murmur, and Melvina, watching Luretta dipping
her white stockings in the pool, began to feel less troubled and
unhappy; and when Anna came running toward her waving the knitting-bag
she even smiled, and was ready to believe that her troubles were nearly
over.

In spite of the sunshine dark clouds were gathering along the western
horizon; but the girls did not notice this. Anna and Luretta had
forgotten all about the sloop _Polly_, and were both now a little
ashamed of their plan to make sport of Melvina.

"Here is your bag all safe, Melly," called Anna, "and while Luretta is
washing your stockings I'll rub off those spots on your pretty dress.
Can't you step down nearer the water?" she suggested, handing the bag to
Melvina, who put it carefully beside her hat and agreed promptly to
Anna's suggestion, stepping carefully along the rough shore to the edge
of the water. The rocks hurt her tender feet, but she said nothing; and
when she was near the water she could not resist dipping first one foot
and then the other in the rippling tide.

"Oh, I have always wanted to wade in the ocean," she exclaimed, "and the
water is not cold."

As Anna listened to Melvina's exclamation a new and wonderfu