The child had only time to drop her little friend into the chest before Great-Grannie was wide awake again and getting up to dress.
At the flow of the tide the children were again hurried off to the beach to search for the lost Piskey-purse, the old dame loudly lamenting that she was not able to go with them, owing to the hurt to her toe.
The tide was in, and whilst they waited for it to go down, Farmer Vivian came across the bar, and Gelert, seeing him coming towards them, made off.
‘How is it you haven’t been picking limpets lately?’ asked the farmer, with a kindly smile, looking down at Gerna.
‘Great-Grannie ordered us to look for a Piskey-purse instead,’ said the little maid dolefully.
Then she remembered what the little voice had asked her to do if she saw Farmer Vivian.
‘Yes,’ he said, in answer to her question, ‘I have such a pair of Shoes, and, odd to say, I have them in my pocket. What do you want them for?’
‘To see if they will fit me, please, sir. May I have them now and try them on?’
‘You may, certainly; but I am afraid they are far too small even for your little feet.’
He dipped his hand into his coat-pocket, and, taking out a tiny pair of moss-coloured Shoes, he gave them to the child.