"She'll be all right, I am sure," Mrs. Lee whispered to the anxious children. Later the doctor came, left some powders and patted Keineth on the head. "A good sleep and quiet will fix up those nerves O. K. Then forget all about it." He was quite right; the next morning Keineth, quite as well as ever, joined the family at breakfast. Though Mrs. Lee had warned them not to mention the accident to Keineth unnecessarily, Mr. Lee did pinch her cheek and say: "You lost your head, didn't you, little sport? If you'd just kept your arms down, now--but, if you go exploring strange beaches again you'll remember, won't you?" Peggy and Keineth, moved by a feeling of intense relief, suddenly caught hands under the table. For into both hearts had come the fear that Keineth's mishap might end the swimming for the summer! And Keineth had not forgotten that, though it had ended sadly, for a very brief time she _had_ mastered the stroke. Mrs. Lee smiled down the table. "And I think Pilot has won a home! Except for him--" she stopped suddenly, her eyes bright with tears. "William, bring home the finest collar you can find and to-night we will decorate our dog with all due honor!" CHAPTER XII A LETTER FROM DADDY "KEN--a letter!" Billy rushed toward the garden waving a large square envelope over his head. Keineth and Peggy were weeding their flower bed. Keineth dropped her hoe quickly to seize the letter. "It's from Washington, and it's got a seal on it like the seal of the United States!" exclaimed Billy. "Oh, let me see!" cried Peggy. Keineth had taken the letter. Looking from one to the other, she held it close to her. "I--I can't--it's from the President, I guess--" A wave of embarrassment seized her and she stopped short, wishing that she might run away with her treasure. "The President--writing to you! Oh, say--" Billy snorted in derision. Peggy, offended at Keineth's shyness, turned her back upon her. "I don't want to see your letter, anyway," she said ungraciously. "Oh, please--I'd love to show it, only--I promised--" Then, as Peggy gave no sign of relenting, Keineth walked slowly toward the house with her letter. "I think Keineth's mean to have secrets," and Peggy dug her hoe savagely into the ground. "She acts so mysterious about her father and I'll bet it isn't anything at all!" "But that letter _was_ from the President, I guess! Gee whiz, think of getting a letter really from him! I wish I was Ken!" "It's nothing! Anyone can be President--I mean, any man!" "Just the same, mother told me that some day we would be very proud of knowing Keineth's father. She wouldn't tell me any more. I'll bet it would be awful interesting to know him! There's something certainly queer about how no one knows where he is! I guess I'll ask Ken to tell me just a little bit. I can keep a secret."