"If I should come to your island, would you show me how to eat oysters?
"How are your Grandpa and Grandma? I think you are one of the greatest families in the U.S.A.
"P.S. Do you think you'll have a Pony Penning this year?"
"See?" Maureen said. "Folks are asking already, but I just won't answer this one until later. Go on, Grandma."
"Here's one from a lady teacher:
"We read in the paper that Misty had a filly and also that 145 ponies died. My heart just sinks.
"One of my pupils said that colts have such twinkly legs he thought 'Sand Piper' would be a good name for Misty's baby."
"Hmmm," Paul said approvingly. "See what I mean, Maureen? Sand Piper would honor her granddaddy, the Pied Piper."
Mr. Conant wrote down the name with one checkmark and a star beside it.
"If she was a horse-colt instead of a mare-colt," Maureen said, "I'd like it fine. But we got to think about when she's grown up."