[ Hilda looks down just in time to see his cane sink into the sand. Hm, that won't do, will it? It just means they'll have to make quick work of the pearls and the less work, the better in her mind. She gives him a bright grin and a nod. ]

See, this is why you're the one with the brains.

[ Stooping down she begins to collect them; the pearls are easy enough to pick out amongst the sand. They glimmer and shine with a beautiful luster in the light, and she can't help but think how pretty they'd look strung together - and yet she can't help but get the feeling that there was something she was meant to remember about them.

After a moment she asks - ]

You know when you have something on the tip of your tongue but then you can't remember it for the life of you?