Mary-'Gusta was growing accustomed to the life in the South Harniss home.

She found it a great improvement over that which she had known on Phinney's Hill at Ostable.

There was no Mrs.Hobbs to nag and find fault, there were no lonely meals, no scoldings when stockings were torn or face and hands soiled.

And as a playground the beach was a wonderland.
She and Jimmie Bacheldor picked up shells, built sand forts, skipped flat stones along the surface of the water at high tide, and picked up scallops and an occasional quahaug at low water.

Jimmie was, generally speaking, a satisfactory playmate, although he usually insisted upon having his own way and, when they got into trouble because of this insistence, did not permit adherence to the truth to obstruct the path to a complete alibi.