“Well, so have we, in spite of clams,” laughed Nancy. “Don’t you think so, Anne?”
“It has been very pleasant,” said Anne with reserve as she stepped ashore. “But that old woman made me nervous!”
CHAPTER V.
MIDSUMMER EVE
“Oh dear! I forgot my fern-seed!” cried Nancy, as they reached Round Robin. “Why didn’t you remind me, Cicely, when we were getting the sweet grass? The clam-bake was so exciting I quite forgot about to-night.”
“I think it’s too early for fern-seed,” said Cicely. “I haven’t seen any this year. But if there is any to be found, surely it would have been on that mysterious island, where there seems to be pretty nearly everything else.”
“Including witches,” laughed Dick.
“And a buried treasure of clams, Reddy,” added Hugh.
“Perhaps Patsy will help me find some fern-seed,” said Nancy, running up the path to greet the stay-at-home. “He knows everything, I believe. He must be hungry for his dinner—Patsy, Patsy!” Nancy began to call through the woods and to give the little shrill whistle which the white cat always understood and answered with his agreeable miaou.
But this time there was no answer. Patsy did not come. Patsy was not to be found. Not even the lure of lobster set appetizingly out for his supper, nor the tempting sound of a plate being scraped with a knife, which had hitherto been an unfailing charm, recalled the white kitten to his mistress.