It only took half an hour to reach Seafield after all. Peggy was almost ashamed to have been so frightened when she had been so near home, but then she had not known.
Oh, what a commotion they found Aunt Euphemia in! She had been searching far and near for Peggy for two hours, and not a trace of her had been found. At last Aunt Euphemia had begun to fear that Peggy had been drowned in the sea; and Martin, who always took the darkest view of everything, was trying to make her believe this.
“Miss Peggy’s drowned in the firth by this time, ma’am,” she was saying with a grim shake of her head, just as the carriage containing Peggy drew up at the door.
Aunt Euphemia ran out to the door, and for the first time in her life caught Peggy up in her arms and hugged her, she was so glad to get her alive and well.
And then there was all the story to tell. Peggy was too tired with her adventures to be able to tell the story so that any one could understand it. She just told a confused tale of baskets and little girls and a horrid woman; and then, worn out with it all, she began to cry again most piteously.
Even Aunt Euphemia didn’t scold her, and Martin brought her a nice dinner, and made her eat it all up, and then took her upstairs and laid her down to sleep; and this was the end of Peggy’s adventures for that day.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SHIP.
he next morning was Sunday, and Peggy’s heart sank when her aunt said to her, “I think I won’t let you out of my sight to-day, Peggy, for something always happens whenever you go even into the garden alone.”