“Don’t worry! We’ll get it back for you right away!” said her husband. “It must be lying right on top of the sand. That’s why I don’t want any of you to walk around, because you might step on it,” he told Janet and Ted. “I can watch where I set my feet so I won’t tread on it.”
He looked about carefully, casting his eyes over every inch of sand in a circle about his wife. She, too, looked as well as she could in front of her, but Mr. Keller moved all around her.
“I don’t see it,” he said, at last. “Suppose you three walk away from the spot, in a straight line, looking wherever you set your feet to make sure you don’t step on the ring,” he said.
“Do you mean us?” asked Ted.
“Yes, you and your sister.”
“What about Trouble?” asked Janet.
“You go over where he is and stay by him. Then he won’t trample over the spots I want to search,” Mr. Keller answered.
The Curlytops walked carefully, looking at each spot of sand before putting down their feet. But they did not see the ring, though they were very anxious to find it. Mrs. Keller’s face looked so sad. Tears were coming from her eyes now. And the Curlytops were sure she would be happier if her wedding ring could be found.
But though Mr. Keller looked and looked again he did not find it. His wife and the children were now away from the spot where it was supposed the gold band had been dropped in the sand. But the wedding circle was not in sight, or it would have been picked up.
“Well, I don’t see it,” said Mr. Keller, with a sigh. “Now I shall have to begin poking in the sand.”