"Hurry back then," Molly called after her. "Let's hide it, girls, and pretend when she comes back that we've eaten it all up."
"I'll hide it," said Grace. She ran down a little way below them and poked the remaining pieces of fudge into a crevice in the rock, and then returned to await Polly's return, who in a few minutes came running back. "Oh," she said, "I have something to tell you. Our poor little baby hasn't any father. He has been drowned."
"Oh, how dreadful!" Three pairs of startled eyes showed how this news affected the little tea-drinkers.
"Do tell us about it," said Molly setting down the cup from which she was draining the last sugary drop.
"I didn't hear all about it," Polly told them, "but I know he tried to save one of his shipmates and couldn't, and they were both drowned. Luella is going down to stay with Ora's children this afternoon. They haven't told Leona yet, and poor Ellis is perfectly distracted, Granville says. Isn't it sad, when Leona has been so ill and now this dreadful thing has happened?"
"I feel so very sorry for Ellis," remarked Mary.
"So do I," said Polly, "for the baby isn't big enough to know, and maybe Leona can get another husband, but Ellis can't get another brother."
They all agreed that this was a plain fact and sat quite solemnly looking off at the blue sea which had so cruelly swallowed up Parker.
At last Polly gave a long sigh, and she broke the silence by exclaiming, "There, you mean piggies, you ate up all the fudge!"
"You were gone so long," said Molly giving Grace a nudge.
"I don't care; you ought to have saved an extra piece for my bringing you such exciting news."
"But it was such sad news," said Grace turning away her head so Polly could not see her smile.
"If it is sad you needn't laugh about it," said Polly severely. "I believe you hid it!" she exclaimed suddenly.
"If you think so, look for it," said Molly. And Polly immediately set to work to search each one of the party, but could not find a crumb of fudge.
Then she seized Molly, playfully shaking her. "Tell me truly, did you eat it all?"
Amid her struggles to free herself, Molly confessed that they had not. "But, I can't find it," Polly persisted. "Do you know where it is, Molly?"
