For the second time that day, Martha surprised herself by following the will of another.
It seemed to Jeanette that they had ridden at least twice around the whole peninsula of Nova Scotia before she spied something red upon the rocks below the road.
“Stop!” she cried, excitedly; and Jim obeyed.
“Nan has a red purse. Maybe that’s it,” pointing to the scarlet spot at the water’s edge.
They both scrambled across the rocks with what speed they could, for they were wet and slippery with the incoming tide, and strewn with seaweed.
“It is!” exclaimed Jeanette, as they got closer to the object. “She must be drowned!”
Jim made no reply, but with one long stride, and a sweep of his arm, he secured the little purse.
“For Heaven’s sake!” he cried. “Look!”
The purse was tied to the back of a toy duck.
“That’s the prize Nan won at the bridge party in Digby,” he added.