"What's the matter?" called Mr. Bunker from the bungalow porch. He had
heard the sobbing voice of Rose. "Has anything happened?" he went on.
"Tell Daddy what it is."

"I have lost my lovely gold locket!" sobbed Rose. "The one Grandma gave
me! I dropped it in the sand, I guess, when I was digging the holes for
gold. I wish I hadn't dug!"

"Stand right where you are!" called Daddy Bunker. "I'll bring my
electric flashlight and look around for your locket. It may have dropped
on the sand right where you are. So don't move until I get there and can
see the place. I'll find your gold locket, Rose."

The moon was bright, and, shining on the ocean and on the white sand,
made the beach very light. But still, as Rose looked about her and over
to where Russ stood, she could not see her gold locket. And she wanted
very much to get it back, as it was a present from Grandma Bell, and
Rose liked it more than any of her other gifts. She did not often wear
it, but on this occasion, coming on the trip from Aunt Jo's, Rose had
begged to be allowed to hang the ornament on its gold chain about her
neck, and her mother had allowed her to do so.

Rose had promised to be careful, and she had been. She had noticed the
locket after supper and when she came out in the evening to dig in the
sand with Russ. But now it was gone, and just where she had dropped it
Rose did not know.

"And now my lovely locket is gone!" she sobbed.