"But your father may come back," said Mrs. Minturn; "sailors are often
out drifting about for months, and come in finally. I would not be
discouraged--you cannot tell what day your father may come back with
all the money, and even more than he expected."

"Oh, I know," said Nellie. "I won't feel like that again. It was
only because it was the first time I saw the ocean. I'm never
homesick or blue. I don't believe in making people pity you all the
time." And the brave little girl jumped up, dried her eyes, and
looked as if she would never cry again as long as she lived--like one
who had cried it out and done with it.

"Yes, you must have a good time with the girls," said Mrs. Minturn.
"I guess you need fun more than any medicine."

That evening at dinner Nellie was her bright happy self again, and the
three girls chatted merrily about all the good times they would have
at the seashore.

There was a ride to the depot after dinner, for Mrs. Manily insisted
that she had to leave for the city that evening, and after a game of
ball on the lawn, in which everybody, even Flossie and Freddie, had a
hand, the children prepared to retire. There was to be a shell hunt
very early in the morning (that was a long walk on the beach, looking
for choice shells), so the girls wanted to go to bed an hour before
the usual time.

"Wait till the clock strikes, Nellie," sang Dorothy, as they went
upstairs, and, of course, no one but Nan knew what she meant.