"She'll be all right, I am sure," Mrs. Lee whispered to the anxious children. Later the doctor came, left some powders and patted Keineth on the head. "A good sleep and quiet will fix up those nerves O. K. Then forget all about it."
He was quite right; the next morning Keineth, quite as well as ever, joined the family at breakfast. Though Mrs. Lee had warned them not to mention the accident to Keineth unnecessarily, Mr. Lee did pinch her cheek and say: "You lost your head, didn't you, little sport? If you'd just kept your arms down, now--but, if you go exploring strange beaches again you'll remember, won't you?"
Peggy and Keineth, moved by a feeling of intense relief, suddenly caught hands under the table. For into both hearts had come the fear that Keineth's mishap might end the swimming for the summer! And Keineth had not forgotten that, though it had ended sadly, for a very brief time she _had_ mastered the stroke. Mrs. Lee smiled down the table. "And I think Pilot has won a home! Except for him--" she stopped suddenly, her eyes bright with tears. "William, bring home the finest collar you can find and to-night we will decorate our dog with all due honor!"
CHAPTER XII
A LETTER FROM DADDY
"KEN--a letter!"
Billy rushed toward the garden waving a large square envelope over his head.
Keineth and Peggy were weeding their flower bed. Keineth dropped her hoe quickly to seize the letter.
"It's from Washington, and it's got a seal on it like the seal of the United States!" exclaimed Billy.