“—When Fleuriss came, and—”
“Oh yes, it all comes back to me now. They were making a great effort to find her and entice her back home by telling her about her baby sister.”
“Yes.”
“Why, father,” said Toby,“ Eepersip—”He suddenly saw her in his mind, kneeling in front of him, begging him not to tell—and he said no more. Nobody noticed his remark.
A moment Mrs. Carrenda gazed at her husband astounded. Then she said: “I believe it is so. Let us send word to them right off.”
“No,” said Mr. Carrenda, bluntly. “Supposing they came all the way down here. Supposing the plan failed. Mrs. Eigleen would only be unhappier than ever. We’ll just have to let them alone for a while. Supposing we try it. Supposing it fails. Mrs. Eigleen will never know. Supposing it succeeds. They will be much happier, and we shall have made some staunch and grateful friends.”
“Oh, let’s try it!” agreed Mrs. Carrenda.
“I bet Eepersip—Ee-serpip, Eeserpip, Eepersip, Eeserpip, Eepersip—funny name! I bet she’ll go home fast when she finds out.”
“Perhaps—but she is like a sea-nymph now. How strange it is! Well, it’s worth trying, at any rate.”
Eepersip had listened with growing amazement—fascinated, entranced. But when they paused in their conversation, the charm was broken that had held her there. She sped away into the woods. She came to a place that she knew well, a glade surrounded by ferns and a few wild-rose-bushes now in bloom.