and he'll row me up to the island."

The four little Blossoms wriggled uneasily. Even Dot and Twaddles,
young as they were, could guess something of what Mr. Harley's
sorrow would be when he learned that no wife and children waited
for his coming on pretty Apple Tree Island. Meg glanced at Mother
Blossom. That lady shook her head slightly, as a signal not to
speak.

"Isn't that a sign of spring water for sale?" said Father Blossom
suddenly. "Hand me the vacuum bottles, Margaret, please, and I'll
have them filled. The children may be thirsty again before we get
to Polly's. Dick, will you help me? We've a bottle for each
youngster and they're slippery things to handle."

Father Blossom stopped the car on the other side of the road from
a pretty cottage where a sign on the gate offered "Guaranteed,
Analyzed Spring Water for Sale," and he and Mr. Harley disappeared
with the bottles through the odd, rustic gate.

"Now he'll tell the poor man," sighed Mother Blossom. "Whatever
they do or say when they come back, children, I don't want you to
say a word unless you're spoken to. Can you remember?"

"Yes'm," promised the four little Blossoms, four little hearts
warm with sympathy for poor Mr. Harley.

"Where do you suppose he was all the time he wasn't there?"
whispered Meg.