Do you know, I can
row--yes, and swim--as well as anybody, and I know all your old nooks,
and"--
She paused suddenly, and Sara cried,--
"All mine? Why, who told you? Some of them you could never have found,
I'm sure."
Bertha blushed, but Jasper spoke up bravely,--
"Oh, I showed her. She's a great climber as you used to be, Sairay."
"That was nice of you, Jasper! So you know the 'Mermaid's Castle,' and
the pine walk, and all?"
Bertha assented, then turned the subject to Mrs. Searle, the cottage,
etc., while Sara began to have a dawning feeling that, possibly, she
need not worry over Jasper's future happiness, at least to the exclusion
of her own.
Miss Prue greeted her warmly; and everything was so exactly the same,
from the white, curving beach, and long fish-sheds, the unpainted houses
and the plants in the bow-windows, to the red and green carpet, and
dragon-china in her little parlor, that Sara could hardly believe she
had ever been away. Hester, seemingly not a day older, and wearing the
identical turban she had last seen her in, Sara felt certain, greeted
her with respectful warmth, and Polly grunted,--
"Come in--shut the door--how d'ye do?--Git out!" in her old familiar
style.
Jasper had come with her to the door to carry the large valise, which
was the only luggage she had brought; but Bertha bade them _au
revoir_ at the turn, saying she must hurry back to Mrs.
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