"Harriet, come right
here by the fire and warm yourself."
"Where is the boy?" asked Harriet.
"He will be along in a few minutes. I ran all the way back. He will
drive in and wait until we are ready. I promised him two dollars if he
would take us to our destination."
"Does he know where it is?" questioned Jane.
"He says he does, but--" The guardian flushed and checked herself
abruptly. "I nearly gave my surprise away."
Jane had the water boiling in a few minutes, then quickly made the
coffee. A cup was handed to Harriet. She drank it steaming hot.
"Oh, that tastes good!" she breathed.
"You can feel it all the way down, can't you?" questioned Tommy
solemnly.
"Yes, I can."
"Drink another one, dear," urged the guardian; "it won't keep you
awake. Perhaps, now that you feel better, you will tell us how you
came so near drowning?"
"I did nearly drown, didn't I?"
"You did, as thoroughly as one could and yet live to tell of it,"
replied Miss Elting, her voice husky.
"I had unfastened all the straps save the third one," began Harriet.
"By that time the trunk was standing on end. It was very buoyant. The
idea never occurred to me that there was any danger from the trunk. I
was too much concerned wondering if I shouldn't have to open my mouth,
for my lungs were nearly bursting.
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