The children jumped up and said good-by to the beautiful garden. Then they climbed, slid, hopped, and scrambled back over the rocks towards home, racing with the storm. And they reached the house just as the first drops of rain began to fall. They rushed up onto the piazza, where their mamma was looking anxiously for them.
“Oh, Mamma,” they cried both together, “we have seen a garden of live flowers.”
“Pink and blue and red!” cried Rose.
“And they closed tight so as to let us know that the storm was coming,” said Kenneth.
“What, you have found a pool of sea-anemones?” cried their mother, delighted. “I am so glad! I did not know there were any on this island.”
“And will you come with us to-morrow to see them?” begged Rose. “We will show you, but it is going to be a great secret. Sh! Don’t let any one hear!”
“I am not a good climber,” said their mother, shaking her head. “I am afraid I cannot get down that steep cliff. But you must take your Aunt Claire, who is coming to-morrow. She will love to go with you, I know.”
“Oh, is Aunt Claire coming to-morrow? Hurray!” cried Kenneth. For the children thought that their Aunt Claire was great fun.
“Oh, yes! We will take Aunt Claire to see the flowers,” said Rose. “But we mustn’t tell any one else.”
“Yes, you must keep the discovery a great secret,” said their mamma. “Some one might want to transplant the little flowers, and that would be a great pity. You must let them live there in their own sea-garden just as they are. But what clever little explorers you were to find them!”