"You wasn't out on those clam flats alone, was you?" he asked,
addressing Barbara.
She nodded. "Petunia and I went all alone," she said. "It was
kind of wet so we took off our shoes and stockings and paddled.
I--I don't know's I remembered to tell you that part, Mamma," she
added, hastily. "I--I guess it must have slipped my mind."
But Mrs. Armstrong was watching Jed's face.
"Was there any danger?" she asked, quickly.
Jed hesitated before answering. "Why," he drawled, "I--I don't
know as there was, but--well, the tide comes in kind of slow off ON
the flats, but it's liable to fill up the channels between them and
the beach some faster. Course if you know the wadin' places it's
all right, but if you don't it's--well, it's sort of uncomfortable,
that's all."
The lady's cheeks paled a bit, but she did not exclaim, nor as Jed
would have said "make a fuss." She said, simply, "Thank you, I
will remember," and that was the only reference she made to the
subject of the "clam field."
Miss Barbara, to whom the events of dead yesterdays were of no
particular concern compared to those of the vital and living to-
day, was rummaging among the stock.
"Mamma," she cried, excitedly, "here is a whale fish like the one I
was going to buy for Captain Hedge. Come and see it."
Mrs. Armstrong came and was much interested.
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