o the shore.

The wind had risen somewhat, so it took them some minutes to find a nice
sheltered spot in the sunshine and out of the wind, and they had to sit on
the land side of the rocks, with their backs to the sea. It was very
pleasant, though, and, once settled, Mona told them all about her new hat,
and they gave her a share of their dinner.

After that they told her of the new summer frocks they were to have, and
the conversation grew so interesting and absorbing, they forgot everything
else until the church clock struck two!

With a howl of dismay, they all sprang to their feet, and then they howled
again, and even more loudly.

"Oh, Mona, look! The tide's right in! We'll have to get back through the
fields, and, oh, shan't we be late!" Patty and Philippa began to scramble
back as fast as ever they could. "Good-bye," they called over their
shoulders. "Oh, Mona, look out for your basket, it's floating."

They could not have stayed to help her, but it did seem heartless of them
to run away and leave her alone to manage as best she could.
Mona looked about her helplessly, her heart sinking right down, down.
The tide at that point had a way of creeping up gently, stealthily, and
then, with one big swirl would rush right in and around the group of rocks
on which she stood. If the wind was high and the sea at all rough, as
likely as not it would sweep right over the rocks and back again with such
force that anyone or anything on them was swept away with it. There was
not wind enough to-day for that. At least, Mona herself was safe, but her
basket!--already that was swamped with water. At the thought of the
ruined tea and sugar her eyes filled. Her mother's medicine was in the
basket too. She would save that! At any rate, she would feel less guilty
and ashamed if she could take that back to her. She made a dash to seize
the basket before the next wave caught it, slipped on the slimy rock, and
fell face forward--and at the same moment she heard the crash of breaking
glass. The medicine was mingling with the waves, the basket was riding
out on the crest of them!

Poor Mona! At that minute the hardest heart would have felt sorry for
her. Her dress was ruined, her hands were scraped and cut, her mother's
tonic was gone! The misery which filled her heart was more than she could
bear. "I can't go home!" she sobbed. "I can't, I never can any more."
Big sobs shook her, tears poured down her cheeks. "I