“You do look funny,” Anna acknowledged soberly. Her own flannel dress had dried, and, except for her bare feet, she looked about as usual; but Melvina’s white petticoat was still wet and draggled, her hair untidy, and it was doubtful if her own father would have recognized her at the first glance.
“I will go and get your things,” said Anna. “Come up the slope a little way, and sit down behind those juniper bushes until I come back. Luretta must be near the pine trees. I’ll hurry right back, and you can dress in a minute.”
Melvina agreed to this plan, and followed Anna slowly up to the juniper bushes, and crouched down well under their branches so that she was completely hidden from view; while Anna scrambled hurriedly up the slope and looked anxiously about for some sign of Luretta and the missing garments. But there was no sign of either; so she ran along the bluff to where the pines offered shelter, thinking Luretta must surely be there.
And now Anna began to be seriously alarmed. Perhaps Luretta had been swept out by the tide before she could save herself. And at this thought Anna forgot all about shoes and stockings, all Melvina’s fine garments, and even Melvina herself, and ran as fast as her feet could carry her toward Luretta’s home. At the blacksmith shop she stopped to take breath, and to see if Luretta might not, by some happy chance, be there; but the shop was silent. Mr. Foster had gone home to his supper; but Anna did not realize that the hour was so late, and ran swiftly on.
As she neared the house she stopped suddenly, for Luretta was standing in the doorway, and Rebecca was beside her, and they were both looking at Anna. There was no time to turn and run back.
“Why, Dan! Where are your shoes and stockings?” said Rebecca, coming down the path to meet her sister. “You were so late in coming home that Mother sent me to meet you.”
“What did Luretta say?” gasped Anna, thinking to herself that if Luretta had told of Melvina, and their making sport of her, that there was trouble in store for them all.
“Luretta hadn’t time to say anything,” responded Rebecca, “for I had just reached the door when we saw you coming. Now we’ll get your shoes and stockings and start home, for Mother is waiting supper for us.”
“Luretta has my shoes,” said Anna, and ran on to the door, where Luretta was still waiting.
“Give me my shoes and stockings; quick, Lu! And then take all Melvina’s things and run, as fast as you can, to the——”