ut her and
hugged her.

Suddenly awakened, Poppy sat up and looked about her in a dazed way; then
her eyes fell on her muddy pinafore and boots, and a hot blush spread over
her baby face.

"I didn't mean to make my pinny dirty," she said anxiously, "but I
_touldn't_ help it; there was such a _lot_ of seed, and I _had_ to water
it, and the silly water would run out over the can, though I was _ever_
and _ever_ so careful."

"But how did you come to be lying here, darling?" said Pen, drawing her
little sister closer into her arms. In her relief she was quite unable to
scold her for the fright she had given them. "We left you in the garden.
You shouldn't have come out here alone. We thought you were lost, and we
were awfully frightened!"

Poppy sat up very erect. She suddenly felt herself very important and
interesting. "I wanted to find you and Essie. I was 'fraid to see Cousin
Charlotte with my dirty pinny on; and I came out here and you weren't
anywhere, and then I was _so_ tired I lay down. Oh, it took me such a
long time, but Mrs. Vercoe said it was _beautiful_ parsley. Do you think
it is beginning to grow yet, Pen?"

"I don't know," said Pen absently; "we must make haste back, now, to let
them know you are safe. You see, if you go getting lost, Cousin Charlotte
won't let us come out on the moor alone. Come along," raising her sister,
after putting on her shoes for her.

For a moment Poppy looked troubled, but quickly cheered up. "I don't fink
Cousin Charlotte will be cross when she knows," she said confidently.

"Knows what?" asked Penelope curiously.

"My secret," said Poppy solemnly. "I'll tell you if you'll promise not to
tell any one else." But at that moment all confidences were stopped by
the appearance of Esther and Ephraim.

Poppy accepted Esther's rapturous greeting calmly. She, of course, did
not realise yet the state of alarm they had all been in on her account;
her whole attention was absorbed by the sight of a strange man in
possession of her precious watering-can. It was too much for her to pass
unnoticed.

"That's my tan, please, I fink," she said politely but firmly, and Ephraim
felt his wisdom in bringing this means of identification had been fully
justified.

Happy and triumphant the whole party returned to the house, to be received
by Anna with open arms and a face beaming with joy. What did it matter if
Poppy's apron was covered with mud, and her frock and boots and ha