When the bus stopped in front of the side door, Eleanor suggested that Peggy stay in it with Virg, while she went alone to greet her mother. When she bounded up the steps, the door opened and there stood, not the frail little woman who had set sail with the doctor’s wife a few months before, but one who radiated health and an inward joy. Instantly Virginia, watching, knew that the surprise was not to be a sad one, and how glad she was. Then the door closed, but almost at once it opened again and a most excited girl leaped down the steps and raced out to the bus. “Oh, Virg!” Eleanor cried. “Aunt Dorinda is found. Doctor Warren found her in a hospital where she had been taken when the boat went to pieces right in the very harbor and everyone was rescued. Oh, how I wish Winston were here, but I’ll telephone to Drexel before he can go to Boston. There isn’t another train out until night.”
Catching Peggy by the hand she ran with her into the house. Then a few moments later returned, asking Virg if she would come in and meet her mother and Aunt Dorinda.
“Not today, dear. Shall you return with us now or would you like to stay over-night with your mother?”
“I’ll stay until Mrs. Martin comes back,” Eleanor said. “Phone me, won’t you, the minute she returns?”
Virginia agreed that she would, and then she bade Micky drive back to the school. The girls were waiting eagerly on the wide front porch and when they heard what the surprise had been, the irrepressible Betsy led the school cheer. “My, but I’m glad! I shall treasure that red feather as long as I live!” she ended, by saying.
“Maybe some time in the future it may lead you on another adventure,” Babs said.
“Who knows?” Betsy beamed. “But next time I hope there will be a mystery for me to solve.”
“Poor little detective who never succeeds,” Babs teased.
For once Betsy did not retort, but she determined that before many moons she would unearth a mystery that she could solve, nor was she wrong, though the nature of it the merry little maid did not even guess.