ortably
and really began to enjoy the expedition.

It was but a short distance to Green Island, and the water of the
dividing sound was too smooth to produce any uncomfortable qualms so
that Mary felt only a pleasant excitement as she stepped ashore and was
piloted by Ellis to the little hall where the fancy dress party had
been given. All the way along they looked carefully to see if by
chance anything could be discovered of the missing pin, but there was
no sign of it. Ellis started inquiries, putting the question to each
one he met: "You hain't heerd of anybody's findin' a breastpin, hev ye?
I'll ask at the post-office," he told Mary. "They won't know who you
are and if anybody finds it, I'll leave word it's to be returned to me."

"Oh, I'm sure you're very kind," said Mary gratefully. "I can give a
reward. Isn't that what persons do?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. Nobody about here wants any reward. I guess
any of us is ready to return property when we know where it belongs."

"Oh!" Mary felt properly rebuked. Really Ellis was a very superior
sort of person if he did murder the king's English. It was quite
evident that his morals were above question. She pattered by his side
till they reached the hall. The door was open and the place
unoccupied. It no longer seemed enchanted ground. The Japanese
lanterns looked out of place in the glare of daylight, and the flowers
still remaining, were faded and drooping. Instead of being bright and
festive, it appeared bare and desolate to Mary.

She and Ellis walked slowly around, looking in every corner, but their
search was not rewarded, and they returned to the boat, stopping at the
post-office on their way. The postmaster and his entire family were
greatly interested in Ellis's tale of the lost trinket.

"A diamond breaspin, did you say?" asked Jim Taylor. "Wal now, ain't
that a loss? I'll put up a notice right away. Marthy, you ain't heerd
of nobody's findin' a diamond breaspin, hev ye?" he questioned a girl
who came in to mail a letter. "Some of the P'int folks has lost one.
If you hear of its bein' found, tell 'em to fetch it here." He
carefully wrote out a notice which he pinned up alongside an
advertisement of a boat for sale, a cottage to let, and a moonlight
excursion. "That'll fetch it," he said. "If it's been found on this
island, you'll get it. You tell 'em over to the P'int we're on the
lookout. How is it you're undertakin' to look it up,