r. tlio Buni of ten doUurs, shall be entitled to a life mcmbcralii]) privilcgu of the Library. THE LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EDUCATIOH IIBR. Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive in 2008 witli funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arcliive.org/details/cousinlucyonseasOOabboricli /'4'' ?--'-- ^s •^^'^'yC^-'^' IS77f]X COUSIN LUCY ON inE SEA-SHORE. 4UTII0K Ok TH£ UOLLu i>uc»fvo. A NEW EDITIOIf, REVISED BY THE AUTHOR. NEW YORK: CLARK & MAYJTARD, PUBLISHERS, No. 5 BARCLAY STREET. EDUCATIOl^ IIBH; Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year IST^, By JACOB ABBOTT, In the Cleck'E Office of the District Court of the United States, For the Southern L'lstrict of if ew Y ork. P K fc F A C E This volume, with its companion, Cousin Lucy among the Mountains, is intended as a cuiitinuation of Lucy's history, four volumes of which have been already published. They present to the juvenile reader an account of the gradual progress made by our little heroine in the acquisition of knowledge, and in the formation of character, though in very different scenes from those in which the incidents of the preceding voluires have been laid. ivi788535 CONTENTS. CHAPTi^H 1. ,,^^ The Rouxd Room, y CHAPTER II. A.v Invitation, , 23 CHAPTER HI. A Long Ride, 33 'CHAPTER IV. Aunt Mary's, , 46 CHAPTER V. The Library...... 55 CHAPTER VI. The Sea-Shore, 67 CHAPTER VII. Walks and Rides, 8»? 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTLR VIIi. j.^^^ A True Stor? . . „ 9* CHAPTER IX. The Rescue, 100 CHAPTER X. ix.'ATlftO^. 116 CHAPTER XL The Lighthouse, 129 CHAPTER Xn. GuiNo TO Town, 146 CHAPTER Xlli. Willie's Ride, 157 CHAPTER XIV. BLi5n Jack, 163 CHAPTER XV. Going Home, 179 1 \-^.r r.i VvhV LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE CHAPTER . THE ROUND ROOM. Lucy had a little chamber of her own. It was as high, in the middle of it, as other chambers, but the ceiling sloped away on one side, so diat, around behind her bed, there was scarcely room for Lucy herself to stand upright. And yet Lucy was not very large, for she was but seven years old. She often wondered why the ceiling of her chamber was not made level, like other chambers ; but she never thought to ask her mother. In her chamber there was a little book-case with tnree shelves in it, and a curtain before it, to keep tne oast out. She kept ner picture-books and her stv.iy-books on the two jpper shelves, and her playthings upon the lowox" -faelL The lower il) LUCY ON THE SEA-SHOKE. shelf was level with the floor, and the top of the bookcase was not higher than her head, so thai she could reach every part of it verv conve- niens.')-. Lucy sometimes got tired of play, and then she ased to go and ask her mother what she shou.i. uo. On such occasions, her mother had several limes sent her up stairs to arrange her books in the bookcase. She did not give her this to do as play, because she knew that shq was tireu of play, and would probably not be any bettei pleased with this than with any other amusement. So she assigned it to her as work. But, then, ihough Lucy used to go to it reluctantly, as to a task, she always became soon very much inter- ested in it, finding continually something new in the pictures, as she opened the books to look at them, in order to determine where to arrange them. One rainy day, Lucy could not go to school. She was very sorry for this, for Marielle had promised to bring a painting of a large, beauti- ful butterfly to the school that day, to show her. Marielle was a great friend of Lucy's at school. Lucy watched the skies till after nine o'c 'ock ; but there was no prospect of a cessntion of rain. Then she sat with her mother for an houi or two, sewins;. At last- sh^ f^^^ ♦'»'^/^ -^^ ^p'VTi^ THE RO ly ROOM. I a she did not know what to do. So her niothe; let her have her paint-box, and Lucy tried to paint a outterfly. She traced the outhne from a picture ^hich she found in one of her picture- books, by holding it up to the window ; and thus she made a drawing. She painted the buttei-fly as well as she could, and then she painted a horse, and next a farm-house with a brown roof, and black smoke coming out of the chimney. By this time, the colors which her mother had rubbed for her upon the saucer were pretty nearly exhausted, and the water in her tumbler had become very turbid. Besides, she was tired of painting, and she went to her mother to know what she should do next. " I think it is very evident what you ought to do next," said her mother. « What ? " said Lucy. Her mother looked towards the table, where Lucy's painting apparatus was lying, but said nothing. ' Put my things away ? " said Lucy. " Certainly," said her mother. So Lucy took her tumbler and saucer to the pump, and washed and wiped them, and then put them away. She looked over the pa pen which were left upon the table, and cut out the 12 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. aide pictures which she had made, and wliich she wished to keep, and then gathered up all the other papei-s and scraps, and threw them into the kitchen fire. She carried the brushes and the pencil, and placed them upon her mother's paint- box, in a little parlor closet, where her motliei kept it, and then put down the leaf of the table, where she had been at work, and set back the chair. Thus the room was restored to ordei again. Her mother had taught her, before, how to put her painting apparatus away. It was now nearly dinner-time, and Lucy busied herself for some time in setting the table. It still continued to rain. She asked her modier if she thought it would stop raining, so that she could go to school in the afternoon. Her mother said that she could not go to school at any rate, because, even if it should cease to rain, the streets would be too wet for her to go out. At dinner-time, her mother said, — " Now, Lucy, after dinner you may have hall an hour to play, and then I want to have you finish arranging your books." Lucy said, " Very well ; I will go." Now, Lucy had a large, flat cushion, which bei mother had made for her, when she was a little girl, to sit upon, on the floor. She called it hei THL- ROUND ROOM. 13 divan. It was black, and it was made pretty strong. So, when the half hour had expired, Lucy took her divan, and carried it up stairs, and placed it before her bookcase. She opened the doors of her bookcase, and stood looking a few minutes al the interior. * The plan which Lucy had adopted for aiTan- gmg her books was, to put the prettiest and most hiteresting ones upon the upper shelf, and the others upon the second shelf, and to place all the books upon each shelf, regularly, in little piles, ac- cording to their size and shape. After Lucy had been about an hour at her work, her mother went up to see how she got along. She found her seated upon her divan, before her bookcase, with three books in her lap, and one in her hand, open before her. " Well, Lucy," said her mother, " have you got your books arranged ? " " Why, no, mother," said Lucy ; " I am read- ing this story of Blind Jack. It is a very pretty story. I put the book on the low shelf a few days ago, but now I am going to take it out, and put it on the high shelf. I think it is one of the prettiest books I have. There is another story ir it about the sand desk. Mother," she continued 2 14 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. ** should you like to have me read to you the itory about the sand desk, when I come down ? " Yes," replie'i her mother; " you may put up your books, and come down, and read it to me now, if you please." " Well," said Lucy. So she put her books upon the shelf, and took her divan under her arm, and went down stairs. She found her mother in the round room. The round room was not, as its name might imply, really round. It was so called oecause it had a curve in one side, where there was a bow m the house. This bow was towards the south, and the window opened down to the floor, so that they could walk out when the window was up. It was a small room, and a very pleasant one to Bit in, especially on rainy days ; for there was a very pleasant prospect of the road from the bow window. On one side of the window in the bow there was a work-table, and on the other side a little case of books^ with small drawers below. Lucy's mother was seated in this room, looking towards the window, when Lucy came in with her book and her divan. She put her divan down upon the floor, under the window, between the table and tiie secretary, and sat upon it. She asked her mother if she was ready to hear THE SAND DESK. [& and hfei mother said she was. So Lucy began a* follows : - "THE SAT^D DESK. '* Maria was a Httle girl, who lived In a log house, In the woods, near the shore of a lake There was a sandy beach by the side of the lake, near the house, where JMarla used to go and play " Maria's father was a farmer. He had sheep, and oxen, and cows, and a horse, and plenty tc eat, and, In the winter, wood enough to make great blazing fires In his large stone fireplace. But he had no books, and no pen and Ink to write with. He had one Testament, partly wora out, and an inkstand on a high shelf; but the Ink had all dried up. Maria was sorry, because she wanted to learn to write. She was a very little girl. She had not yet learned to read, though her mother had showed her some of the letters In the Testa- ment ; and sometimes she would sit down upon a block in the chimney corner, and turn over the leaves, and see how many letters she could find that she knew. «. " One summer morning, she rambled away bare« footed, and without any bonnet upon her head, down to the shore of the pond. She never barl 16 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. had any bonnet, though her mother had promised to make her one, when she was bis: enough to milk. When she got down to the beach, the water looked beautifully. It was smooth and still, and there was a great rock at a litde dis- tance from the shore, with a rugged top, wb'ch was reflected in the water. The sand upon the beach was white and smooth, and it yielded a litde to her step, so that her bare feet made a very disdnct and perfect impression upon it. " Maria took up a pointed stick, which was lying upon the shore, and she found that she could mark upon the sand beautifully with it. First she made an O ; then she made an S ; then she tried to make the fii^ure of a do^r, but this she could not do very well. She then made several other letters, as well as she could remember the shapes of them ; and, when she got tired of this, she walked about, drawing the stick after her, with a waving motion, until she had covered the wdiole beach with serpentine and zigzag lines. " After about an hour, she went home, and told her mother what a fine time she had had, marking upon the sand. " ' Yes,' said her mother, ' I read, when I was a little girl, that, in some parts of the world, chil- dren learn to write by writing upon sand.' THE SAND DEbA.. I " * Where did you gel your books, mother, to read in, when you were a httle girl ? ' " ' O, I had several books when I was young,' said her mother. ' My father gave me sonie, and my uncles gave me some, and some 1 had in school.' " ' Were there any pictures in them ? * said Maria. " ' Yes,' said her mother, * plenty of pictures.' " ' And where are all the books now ? ' " ' O, I don't know ; I did not take very good care of diem, and so they got lost and destroyed.' " ' I wish I had some of them,' said i\laria ; ' 1 would take good care of them.' '' ' I wish I had them all,' replied her mother. * I did not know diat 1 should ever want them as much as I do now ; if 1 had, I should have kept them very safe. But now they are all gone.' " That's the end, mother," said Lucy, shutting up the book. " It's a pretty good story," said Royal ; " what book is it in ? " Lucy looked up, and, to her surprise, saw her brother Royal standing in the door-way. He had 2* 18 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORJ. come in while Lucy was reading, and had stoppeci to hear her story. " It is in my elephant book," said Lucy. She always called that her elephant book, be- cause It nau the picture of an elephant in it, near the becrinninoj. " Is it ? " said Royal. " I mean to read your elephant book some day ; but now come with mt^ and see it clear away." " Is it clearing away ? " said Lucy, starting up " Yes," said Royal, " the clouds are breaking, md pretty soon the sun will be out." Liucy jumped up off her divan, and began lo look out of the window. " O, you can't see there," said Royal ; " come with me to the front door." So Lucy took her divan under her arm, and, holding her book in her other hand, she went off with Royal to the front door. Royal opened the door wide. Lucy looked out, and saw that it hau stopped raining. It was warm ; so she put her divan down in the door-way, and sat upon it, with her bock in her hand. Royal sat by her side. " R( yal," said she, '•' do you think the sun will come ( ut before 1 have time to carry up my ele- phant book, and put it in my bookcase ? " THE ROUND ROOM. 1 " No," said Royal, " not if you are quick.'' So Lucy ran off up stairs, and put away hei book, and pretty soon came back again. As she came to the top of the staii^s, she asked if the sun had come out. " Why, you can tell," said Royal, " by looking on the floor." <■ " How can I tell by the floor ? " said Lucy. " Why, it would shine in upon the floor," saia Royal, " if it had come out through the clouds." " Well, tell me plainly, is it out or not ? " *^ iVo," said Royal ; " but I can see some blue . sky." Lucy came down the stairs as fast as she could, to iee the blue sky. She found that the appear- ance of the clouds had altered a great deal while she had been up stairs. The clouds were broken and white in many places, and there were two openmgs, through which she could see the blue sky. In a few moments, the rays of the sun burst forth from one of them in great splendor. " There's the sun 1 " said Lucy. " How it dazzles my eyes 1 " The whole landscape looked smiling and pleas- ant, though glittering with the w^ater which had fallen. Drops hung froi«i the trees, and little streams flowed along the sides of the road ; and \ < LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. \\\c.^ was one quite large pool of water, which had beeff left by the shower, in the middle of the road, oppo-'te to the house. " Ik it wasn't so wet," said Lucy, " I should like to go and take a walk." " If v/e had a horse and chaise," said Royal, " we ii>ifT,ht go and take a fide. There comes a man now, riding," he continued. "Where ? " asked Lucy. *' There," said Royal, pointing off in the direc tion in which Lucy went when she went to school " Do you see him through the trees ? " Lucy saw him. He was coming pretty fast. The children watched him as he drew near. " 1 wonder if he'll trot right through that great pond of water," said Royal. " Yes," said Lucy, " he will have to ; it is exacdy in his way. We'll see what a spattering it will make." They watched the man until he drew near the house. Lucy then looked at him very intently, and said, — " Why, Royal, its Parker!" *' Parker ? " repeated Royal ; " who is Parker ? " " Why, he's the man that lives at Marielle's ; and he is coming here, — isn't he ? " For just as Lucy had said that he was the man THE ROUND ROOM. 21 that lived at Marielle's, she observed that, instead of going directly on through the pond of water, he turned his horse up towards their door. It was a large and handsome white horse. He held his neck very proudly. Parker dismounted, and fastened the horse to a post at a corner of the front yard, by means of a chain which was fast ened into the post for this purpose. Parker was a tall, straight, handsome-looking servant man. He advanced to the front gate opened it, and came in, then stopped before Lucy and Royal, and took out a letter. " Miss Lucy," said he, " here is a letter for your mother. Will you give it to her, with Lady Jane's compliments ? " " Yes, sir," said Lucy, " I will." Lucy took the letter, and Parker returned to his hoi'se, threw the bridle over his neck, and can- tered off. " I wish I had such a horse," said Royal. " I wonder what this letter's about," said Lucy " You'd better carry it right in to mother," said Royal. " I wonder why he didn't wait for an answer. And, besides, I wonder why they ca. Marielle's mother Lady Jane." " Because she is a lady, I'm sure," said Lucy. " That isn't the reason," said Royal. " But I 22 ^LU«V ON THE SEA-SHORE. belie^'e it is because she came from some foreiixu country." So Lucy went away with the letter to her mother, while Royal sat douij i.pon the step again, watching Parker, as he galloped slowly along the road, saying to himself, " 1 think h** ought to have waited for an answer." a"^ CHAt-l EK /t. AIS liNVriATiON. x^^v'Y tv'ab very curious to lean: what her moihei's lettei vvas about, but her mother saiU sne could not tell ber any thing about it. " Why not, mamma ? " asked Lucy. '' 1 have nothing to say about the reason," said her mother. " Shall you ever tell me ? " " Perhaps so, and perhaps not," answered her mother. " Well, mother, have you any objection to my trying to guess ? " said Lucy. " No ; no objection at all," said her mother. " Well," said Lucy, " I guess, then, that it's to tell me there is not going to be any school to-morrow." Lucy looked up to her mother, to see whether she had guessed right. But her mother said "Qothing. " Is that it, mother ? " said Lucy. " 1 said that you might guess," replied hei 24 LUCY ON TI .' SEA-SHORE mother, " but I didn't say that I should tell you whether you guessed right." " But, mother, what good will it do for me to guess, if you dcn't toH rae whether I guess right or not ? " " I am sure I don't know," replied her mother; " I didn't propose to you to guess." " JVo." said Lucy, " that's true ; but then I wish 1 knew. However, I don't think that is it, after all ; for 1 don't believe that Lady Jane would write a letter to you just to say there is not going to be any school. It must be something else. I wish I knew what it was." " Is it a pleasant feeling for you, Lucy," asked her mother, '' to want to know something which you cannot know ? " " No, mother ; it is very unpleasant." " Then why," said her mother, " do you keep your mind full of it ? " " I don't know what you mean," replied Lucy. " Why, you remain here, thinking of this letter, and keeping yourself in a painful state of mind ; whereas you might go away and forget it." " Well, I'll go away, and try to forget it," said Lucy ; " but I'm very sure that I can't." So Lucv went away ; but, instead of trying to AN INVITATION. 25 forget the subject, she went to ask Royal to help her guess. The contents of the letter were, in fact, these : Lady Jane said that she was intending to go to the sea-side for a month, and to take Marielle with her; and she wrote tliat letter to ask Lucy's mother to let Lucy go too. She said that Mari- elle was very desirous of having Lucy for a play- mate, and that she had herself been very much pleased with Lucy's gende and quiet character, and, if her father and mother had no objection, it would give her a great deal of pleasure, she said, to have her go with them. When Lucy's mother had read the letter, she thought it w as not best to say any thing about the plan to Lucy herself, until her father had come home, and it had been de- cided whether it was best to accept or decline the invitation. INow, though Lucy had a chamber of her own, as is described in the first chapter of this book, she only used it as a place of deposit for her books and playthings, and also to play in when she had company. She usually slept in a litde room ad- joining her mother's bedroom. Before her bed- time, her father and modier had talked about the invitation which had been sent to Lucy from 26 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. Marielle's mother, and they had concluded to accept it, and let Lucy go. Accordingly, towards the latter part of the evening, her mother cam^ into the parlor where Lucy and Royal were sil- ting at the table, to tell Lucy of the decision. Royal had some paper before him, on which he had mled five parallel lines ; and he was trying to write a tune. Lucy was cutting out images with her scissors. " Now, Lucy, I'll tell you what was in the note from Lady Jane," said her mother. " Well," said Lucy, " what was it ? " " She says that she is going to spend a week or two at the sea-shore, and the note was an invita- tion for you to go with her." " Well," said Lucy, in a tone of great delight, " I should like to go very much. Is Marielle going too ? " " Yes," replied her mother. Royal stopped in the middle of a demisemi- quaver, which he was making, and looked up, listening very attentively to what was said. " O, I wish I could go," said he ; "I wish 1 could go. I would row you and Marielle abouf in the boats." " When are we going ? " asked Lucy,- not pay- ing any attention to what Royal had said AN INVITATION. 2? " How do you know that you're going at all, Lucy ? " said Royal ; " it's nothing but an In- vitation, yet." " Yes," rephed her mother, '^ we have con- cluded to let Lucy go They set off in a day or two." " Well," said Lucy, '"lapping her hands, " I'm very glad. 1 never went to the sea-shore." " 1 went once," said Royal, " and got some shells on the beach. I wish you would get me some shells on the beach, Lucy," he added. " Yes, I will," said Lucy. " But what is the beach ? " " Why, it's the shore," replied Royal ; '• a smooth and sandy shore. Y'^ou can walk all over it, and find shells." " Well," said Lucy, '' Marielle and 1 will get some." Lucy began to make a great many inquiries of Royal about the sea-shore ; but pretty soon her mother told her that it was time for her to go to bed ; and she accordingly put away her papei* and scissors, and followed her mother into her bedroom. She was continually asking questions about the intended excursion. Her mother, how- ever, could not answer them. She said she did not know any of the arrangements which I^adv 28 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. Jane had made. She did not know how they would travel, or where they would go ; and she advised Lucy to dismiss the subject from her mind, and wait till to-morrow, and then she would see JMarielle at school, and could ask her all about it. So Lucy got into her bed, and laid her cheek upon her pillow ; and, after hearing her repeat hei evening prayer, her mother bade her good night, and retired into her own bedroom. The door between Lucy's litde room and her mother's bed- room was left open, so that Lucy could hear her mother moving about her room, while slie was trying to go to sleep. She always liked to have this door open, after she had gone to bed, espe- cially if her mother was in her bedroom. Even if she did not speak to her at all, the very idea that she was near, was company for her. " Mother," said Lucy, at length, after she had been silent for some time, " shall we go in the stage, do you think ? " " No," replied her mother, " probably not. I presume you will go in Lady Jane's carriage." Here Lucy was silent again lor some time. At length her mother heard her gently (iall oul again, — « Mother ? " *• What, Lucy ? " said her mother AN INVITATION. 2Q " Do you suppose that Lady Jane will let Ma- rielle and me go out in any boats ? " " I don't know," said her mother. " Slie will do just as she thinks best when you get there. But 1 want you to go to sleep ; you had better not think any more about your journey to-nigh' but shut up your eyes, and go to sleep." " But 1 can't help thinking of it," said Lucy. " Well, at apy rate," replied her mother, " you can shut up your eyes, and not talk." " I do keep shutting them up," said Lucy ; " but they won't stay." Her mother laughed, and said no more. She was constantly engaged in her room fur about half an hour after this, and then she got ready to go back into the parlor ; but, before slie went, she had occasion to go into Lucy's room again. Lucy raised her head sudilenly, and looked at her mother, with eyes wide open. " Why, Lucy 1 " said her mother ; " are you not asleep yet ? " " jNo, mother," said Lucy ; and so saying, she laid her head down upon her pillow again. " Why don't you go to sleep ? " " Why, mother," said Lucy, " I don't know bow." *' Poor girl ! " said her mother ^' It is really 30 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. hard, I suppose." And so saying, she went away, and left her. She came bacl^ again about an ?)our afterwards, just before she was ready to go to bed herself; and she found Lucy lying with her head upon the pillow, and her cheek upon her liand, fast asleep. CHAPTER III. A LONG RIDE. One beautiful morning, a day or two after tliis time, Lucy found herself at Lady Jane's, just set- ting off on the expedition to the sea-shore. The sun was shining, and the air clear, for the dust of the roads had been effectually laid by the rain.- The trees and grass looked green, the flowers bright and gay, and all the birds were singing menily. The carriage was at a door in a large yard at one side of Lady Jane's house, and a boy was standing at the heads of the hoi-ses', with one hand on the bridle of each of them. The hoi-ses were white, and very large and handsome. They stood quietly while Parker helped Lady Jane and the children in. Parker then mounted upon the nox, and Lady Jane and Marielle bade good-by to every person who was standing at the door, and the carriage began slowly to move out of the yard. It went under a large arched gate-way, which had a grape-vine climbing over it, and »wo great trees, one on each side of it. 32 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. Lucy and Marielle sat upon the front seat The carriage was very open in front, so that they could see all ai'ound. Lady Jane sat upon the back seat. She was much older than Lucy's mother, and she was dressed m black. Besides, Lucy thought that she always looked rather mournful. Still Lucy liked Lady Jane very much. Lady Jane had always been very kind to her. She liked her now more than ever, for two reasons : one was, because she had invited her to go to the sea-shore with her ; and the other was, because she had said in her note that she thought Lucy was a very quiet and gentle little girl. Lucy had a very pleasant ride in the carriage all that day. About two o'clock, they stopped at a hotel in a considerable village. First, they wj^nt into a large parlor, and sat down upon a sofa. In a few minutes, Parker came in, followed by a girl who belonged to the hotel, and said, — *' Your rooms are ready. Lady Jane." Lady Jane, Marielle, and Lucy, rose from the sofa, and followed the girl out. She conducted them through a hall into a small parlor, in another part of the house. It looked out into a pleasant yard and gai'den. One of the windows opened down to tlie floor, so that they could go out b}* il to a yard outside, and thence into the garden A LONG RIDE. 33 This window was open. There was a little bed- room, w'ith a bed in it, wiiich opened into this parlor. Lady Jane and the children went in there, and took off their bonnets, and laid them upon the bed. Presendy some one knocked at the little parlor door. Marielle went to open it. She found that it was Parker, who had come to brinoj the work-bao;s and travelling^ wallets from o o o the carriage. '• The dinner will be ready in du'ee quarters of an hour, madam," said Parker. " It is very well," said Lady Jane. " How dc the horses stand the journey ? " " Very well, indeed, madam," said Parker. " I'm glad to hear it,"' said Lady Jane. " Will you look out into this litde yard and garden, and see if it will do for the children to go out there and play till dinner is ready. On the whole, they may go out with you, and you can leave them there if you find it is a safe and proper place for them ; and then I believe I shall not want any thing more. Let me see, — is there a bell ? " Lady Jane looked around the room, and Parker pointed to a bell-pull, hanging by the side of the fireplace. " Very well," said she ; " that is all." So Parker conducted Marielle and Lucy out 34 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. into the garden, leaving Lady Jane to rest herself upon a sofa in the little parlor. Parker found that the yard and garden were very retired, and ])erfectly safe and proper for the girls to play in. He accordingly left them there, and then wenf away. In due time, the children were called to dinner They found a table spread in their litde back parlor. Parker had just put chairs at the table, for Lady Jane and for the children. He had on a white jacket and a white apron, and, when they sat down to the table, he took his place behind Lady Jane's chair, and, during dinner-time, he helped them all to what they wanted ; for Par- ker was a very accomplished servant, and, on such occasions as this, he acted in various ca- pacities. About half an hour after dinner, they got into their carriage again, and rode away. IMarielle and Lucy kneeled up on the cushion of the front seat, and looked out at the front corner of tlie carriage, and talked about the objects which suc- cessively came into view. So.. retimes they passed flirm-houses, orchards, and fields covered with corn, a fnv inches high. Now and then, they passed through a village, or a little hamlet around some stream, where there were mills and a bridge. A LONG RIDE. 37 Then, again, their road would lay, for a mile or two, in a wood, which shaded them, and made it cool and pleasant. They rode on so for some time ; at last, the children became tired of kneel- ing up; so they sat dowTi again, and talked to each other about what they would do when they should get to the sea-shore. Lucy said she meant to get some shells upon tne beach. " And I mean to go and sail in a boat," said Marielle ; " that is, if mother will let us. Shall you let us ? " said she. '• That will depend upon what Parker says," replied her mother. " Why ? " asked Marielle. " O, if he says he can find a good boat, and he thinks it is safe, perhaps I shall let you." " Couldn't you go too, mother ? " said Ma- rielle. " No," replied her mother, " I do not think 1 shall go out on the water." " I never sailed in a boat on the sea," said Lucy. *' Once I sailed on a river with my father." " When was it ? " asked Marielle. " O, once, when we were travelling," said Lucy ; " I forget where. I should like to go and sail in a Doat on the sea very much, if Parker will 4 38 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. go with us. Do they have any rafts on hfi sea v " Rafts ? " repeated Marlelle. She did not know exactly what Lucy meant by rafts. " Yes," said Lucy ; " when I went on the nK)untains, I saw a raft on Emery's Pond." " What kind of a thing was it ? " asked Ma- rielle. '' O, it was made of logs. There was a boy there named Robert, and he sailed his raft out upon the water. He was going to ^ei some lilies ; only there weren't any." " Lilies ? " said Marielle. " Yes, pond lilies, — that grow in a pond." ^' In a pond ?" repeated Marielle, surprised. '• Yes," said Lucy ; " the lilies grew out in a pond, where the water was very deep. 1 saw the leaves, but there were no lilies then." '• Why ? " said Marielle. " Because it was too late," said Lucy. This conversation led to Lucy's telling Marielle something more about her visit among the moun- tains ; and, after a while, both gradually ceased talking, and rode along in silence, each leaning back in a corner of the carriage. After that, it was not a great while before they both fell asleep Ti)ey did not wake again for two hours IMa- A LONG RIDE. 39 rielle opened her eyes first, being disturbed by the stopping of the carnage. The fii-st thing she ob- served was, that Lucy was asleep in her corner of the carriage. " Why ! " said she, " Lucy is asleep, — and I almost got asleep." " Yes," said her mother ; " I diink it was al- mort. You have been sound asleep these two hours." " Why, mother," said Marielle, " I did not know it ; but what are we stop;^ing for ? " " I don't know," replied her mother. Marielle kneeled up on the seat again, and looked out. By this time, Lucy began to wake 'ip too ; and tliey both looked out to see what was SoinfT on. Parker had driven into the yard of a hotel, in finite a large village. There was a piazza extending along the side of the house, and within the piazza several windows, and one or two dooi-s. The doors led into the hotel. A man came out at one of the doors, with a gre^t apron on. " Will the ladies come m ? " said he. '^ Do you wish to stop, Lady Jane ? " said Par- ker. " JVe driven up here to water the horses." " No, I believe not, Parker," said Lady Jano ' how far is it now to town ? " 40 LDCT ON THE SEA-SHORE. " About eight miles," replied Parker ; " we shall be there m little more than an hour." "Then we won't get out," said the lady. During this conversation, Lucy heard thp noise of a pump ; and she looked in the direction er, Marielie said that she would ring the bell ibr Washington to come ; but Lucy said, " Let me ring it." So Marielle showed her where a green cord was hans^no-, with a lar^e orolden-looking ling at the end of it ; and she told her that, if she pulled that, it would ring the bell, so that Washington could hear. Lucy, therefore, went and pulled the cord, hut she did not hear any bell ring. 6* ^ LUCY UN THE 5EA-bl40ftL'. However, in a few minutes, Washington came in with his great tray in his hand. " Was the supper agreeable, Miss Marielle ? ' said Washington, very respectfully, to Marielle, for Washington was always very polite. "Yes," said Marielle, "only I don't think they meant to have us hurt ourselves with the tea." " Why not? " said Washington. " Why, it was so weak. I couldn't tell, at firsts which was the water-pot." A faint semblance of a smile appeared for a moment on VV^ashington's countenance as he re- plied, — " Yes, — Lady Jane directed about the tea, Miss Marielle." So saying, Washington carried the tea things* and the table, and the chairs, all away. 67 CHAPTER Vi. THE SEA-SHORE. The next morning, Marielle and Lucy wpiit out to take a walk about the city. They had a very pleasant walk indeed. Manelle sliowed Lucy a great many very curious things in the shop windows. They came home about eleven o'clock. They found that Willie was getting better, and Marielle told Lucy that Parker had gone to make arrangements for them at some place on the sea- shore, and that, if he came back in season, and if her uncle got home that afternoon, as he was expected, and if Willie continued to be better, they were going to the sea-shore towards evening of that day. Marielle said all this when she came down from her mother's room up stairs, into the library, where she had left Lucy. " And mother says," she continued, " that she thinks it would be a good plan for you to write a letter home to somebody there, and tell them wraething about your journey." 58 LUCY ON TK? SEA-SHORE. " O, but I don't know how to write," said [jucy. " I can print a little. I can make an O ; but I can't write well enough to write a letter." " But she doe« not mean for you to write it yourself," said Marielle. " She means for me to wiite for you, while you tell me what to say." " Well," said Lucy, " I will. I'll write a letter to Royal." So jMarielle opened a drawer, where she knew that paper and pens were alwpys kept, and she took out a sheet of paper and a pen, and car- ried them to one of the desks upon the table. Then she drew up one of the great chairs, and sat in it. The chair was not high enough. She, how- ever, soon remedied the difficulty by going into the parlor, and bringing a large cushion, pretty thick, which she put into the great chair, and that raised Jie seat so that it answered very well. Lucy sat in another great chair, and began to dictate to her amanuensis as follows : — " First, you must write • Dear Royal ' upon the top," said Lucy. iMarielle began to wnte ; and presently she said that she had done it. "We haven't got to the sea-shore yet," said I\(," sahi Liic.v> " I felu^uld like to put in some oranges, very much ; and I'm going to carry ilown my lot^k, 'in\\ read h^r m stMiy, too.'* •' tiave you got any book to carry down ? " •^ciid TMarielle '* ies,'' said Lucy, "my elephant hook. 3 brought my elephant book because I thought 1 should want to read in it some rainy day ; and I'm going to read ' Blind Jack ' to her, because she is blind herself, and I almost know she will want to hear about Blind Jack." In this, and in similar conversation, the time passed swiftly away ; and they reached the eiiG of their journey in very good season. J 57 UH'AP'l LR Xii i WILLIE'S RIDE A DAY or two after jMarlelle'g aunt and little Willie came down to the sea-shore, Marielle and Lucy were drawing Willie back and forth in the road before the house, when Lucy proposed that they should go that day down to the lighthouse. " Well," said Marielle, " I'll go and ask my mother." '• And I'll go too," said Lucy. They drew Willie just inside of the gate, where he would be safe, and told him to wait a few minutes, while they went to ask his mother if they might take him to ride. So Willie sat still^ singing, and whipping the grass with his little whip. Marielle found her mother and her aunt sitting under a little piazza at the end of the house, where they could enjoy the cool sea breeze. She made known her proposal, and asked her moth er's consent that she and Lucy might go, and hei aunt's, to allow them to take Willie in his carriage " And we want to take something to eat, and 14 58 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. put it in the front of the wagon, and so not come home to dinner," said Marielle. " How far is it ? " asked her ajjnt. " It is about a mile," said Lauy Jane. " It will be safe, if Martha goes with them, — will it not > " " Yes," said Marielle's aunt, " I suppose so. What ^nrt of a place is il down at the lightbouje ? " " ril show you," said liucy. " I'll go and get my drawing ; and then you can see it exactly, and Mrs. Star, too, sitting at the door." So Lucy went up stairs to get her drawing. Marielle followed her, to bring down hers, too. They got their drawings, and Lucy brought down her elepiiant book at the same time. She brought forward her drawing eagerly, and held it out for the ladies to see. Marielle came behind her, in a more modest and unassuming manner. Her mother had seen the drawings before, but her aunt seemed much surprised when she looked at Lucy's. " Why, whose work is this ? " said she. " Mine," said Lucy ; " that's my drawing, only Mr. St. John helped me." " And he helped me about mine, too," said Marielle. '• Yes," said her aunt. '' I understand. Well, they are well drawn, and 1 think the lighthouse islani must be a pleasant place. I should like to fTQ there myself some day." " I'm going to carry down my elephant book," sai*^ Lucy, " and read a story to Mrs. Star " -Q " And tlie bag of oranges," said Marielle. " Aunt is going to give us some oranges," she continued, speaking to her mother, " to put in the bag which Lucy's shells came in." " But let me see," replied her mother ; ^' is that best ? She gave them to Lucy as a present. Now, if you carry a bag back full of oranges, it will look a little like paying her. I think I wouldn't. I would return the bag empty, and thus let her have the satisfaction of doing you a favor." Lucy and Marielle looked at each other a moment, as if in uncertainty. At length, Lucy said, — " But I want to give her some oranges very much." *' Very well," said Lady Jane; " there will be no harm, particularly, in it ; though I thought that, on the whole, I should prefer giving them to her in some other way, or at some other time." " Well," said Marielle, " let us give her the oranges some other way. AVe can think of some other way ; and, at any rate, we may go?" she added, inquiringly. " Yes," said her mother, -' you may go if Mar tha is willing to walk so far ; but if she finds it is too far, then you must turn round, and come back whenever she says it is best." So the girls went to find Martha, and in a few minutes they were setting oiF; Lucy and Mari- elle drawing the carriage, with Willie upon the seat, their luncheon in a large tin box, which, together with Lucy's elephant book, was placed Iu3 LUCY. ON THE SEA-SHORE. before him. Martha walked along by the side of tiie wagon. They soon reached the beach, and began to follow it towards the lighthouse, the wheels moving very easily over the hard, smooth evtnd. Martha vvanted to heln th cnudren draw the carriaue ; but they were not \\ illing. They n the book. " Why, dropping the anchor," replied Mrs. Star, " so as to hold the boat till the squall blew over.'* Lucy seemed satisfied with this explanation, and resumed her reading. '* They let go the anchor, and, as soon as it reached the bottom, and got hold of the rocks, it stopped the boat; and the wind and the little waves swept by them with great fury. They wanted to call out to Jack, to tell him not to be afraid, for the squall would be over in a few minutes', and then they would come back to him. But they knew that it would do no good to call to him ; for the wind and sea made such a loud, roaring sound, that it would be impossible to make him hear. " But they had not been many minutes in this situation, before they found that they were again in motion. They suddenly perceived that the boat was drifting along over the water again, as fast as ever." "Yes," said Mrs. Star; "she dragged her anchor. I thought it would be so." " No," said Lucy, " the rope broke." ''The rope broke ! " repeated Mrs. Star. *' Yes," said Lucy ; " you shaJ hear." So Lucy began to read again. BLIND JACK. 167 " They immediately went to the bows of the Doat, to examine the rope which was attached to the hi.,u Jiapnel that st3rved for an anchor, and ibund »hat it had parted about six feet under water. • " Parted means broke,''^ said Lucy, interrupt- mg hei*self again, to explain the technical term to^Mrs. Star. " Royal told me." "Ay," said Mrs. Star; "go on." " It had parted about six feet under water. I' was an old rope, much worn, and was too weak to stand the strain. So the men found that they were adrift, and going out to sea at the rate of six miles an hour. " They saw, at once, that they could not row against the wind as long as it continued to blow so hard. They began to look out for land out- side of them. There was nothing in si^ht in the direction in which they were going, but the open sea, except one island, about eight miles off; and this was far to the north of the course on which they were drifting. They thought that their only hope of avoiding being carried away out to sea, was to row to the north as hard as they could, so as to fetch that island, if possible. They therefore put out their oars, got the boat's head to the north- waid, and began to pull for their lives. " They thought that the wind would not blow v«ry long, for such squalls were commonly over Iq a few minutes; but this one continued un- ]6S LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. abated much beyond the usual time. Am-l wh?* was worse, the wind gradually changed so a= ♦o blow more from the north, and thus it h'.iaded them off from the island. They found, in three quarters of an hour, that it would be impossible to reach it ; and so they gave it up, and then turned their boat's head towards the shore, and contented themselves with rowing moderately to- wards it, so as not to exhaust their strength, and yet to do something to prevent their drifting quite so rapidly from the coast. As for poor Jack, they did not know what would become of him. " Now, Jack, when he heard the squall com- ing, knew very well that there was nothing foi him to do but to wait till his father returned. He expected to hear them coming every moment, when the wind first began to blow ; for he sup- posed that they would have seen its approach, and so have tried to get back to him before it came on. When he found, however, diat the wind continued heavy and strong for some time, he was well aware that they could not row against it ; and so he knew that he must wait patiently until it was over. He had no doubt that they would be able to anchor wherever they were. " By and by, the wind subsided, and Jack knew, by a sort of glow w hich he always perceived when the sun was shining, that the clouds had broken away, and the sun had come out. Now he thought, they would certainly come. But they did not. He waited an hour. Then it bec^'an to grow dark again. He knew that it P.J.IND JACK. 169 niust be night, or else that more clouds were ^oniing. He thought it must be night. The xAr was very calm and still. The water was i»mooth, too, for the wind had not blown long enough to raise the sea ; and. besides, the wind had been directly off the shore. "Jack did not know what to do. He was sure that something had happened to his father and those with him in the other boat, so that they could not come back for him. He supposed that the next morning people wouW see him from the shore, and come off for lijiii ; but then he did not hke to stay out there all night, in an open boat. A storm might arise in the night, or a heavy sea come in ; and then his boat might be torn from its moorings, and dashed upon the rocks. Still he did not see what else he could do. " After a time, he thought he could begin to hear the distant roar of the surf upon the shore. As the evening advanced, the night air, which makes all sounds more distinct, brought this sound out to him more and more plainly, and at last he began to think that he might make it a guide to conduct him back to the shore. Jack could row as well as any sailor. He liked to row, and he had often rowed his father out and in, on their fishing excursions. Of course, he had to depend upon his father entirely to direct the boat, as he cou'd not see ; though he often noticed, as he was rowing out, that the sound of the surf was always behind them, and when going in, that the sound was before them So he pulled up his 15 170 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. anchor, secured it in ]ts proper place, coiled up the rope neatly, and then put out his oars. In a moment more, his boat was shooting rapidly along towards the land. " He had no difficulty in getting pretty near the land, though it took some time. At first, the sound of the surf was very faint and distant, and he had to stop, now and then, to listen for it. It, however, grew louder and louder, and at last he thought he was very near the shore. The sound seemed very loud and near. Jack advanced to- wards it very carefully, for he thought it possible that the sound which he heard [iiiglit be that of surf breaking over some sunken rocks, which lay out at some distance from the shore. " He therefore turned his boat, and rowed off to one side a little way ; and he found that he was thus moving away from the sound which he had heard. Then he stopped, and listened again ; and he could distinctly hear another roaring, much farther in. So he concluded that the sound which he had heard before, was only the breakers on the rocks. When he had gone sO far to one side, as to get well beyond the breakers, he then directed his course towards the shore again. He gradually drew nearer and nearer to the roaring of the waves on the shore. He knew that it was the shore, for, when he got pretty near, he could hear the surf not only directly before him, but the sound seemed to extend on each side, very far He presumed, therefore, that he was before a long Sne of beach, w ith the waves rolling upon it. BLIND JACK. 171 '' He knew very well that It would not be safe for bim to attempt to land through this surl. He must coast along, he thought, until he found some opening which would lead him into a bay, where he could find a sheltered place to land. So he began to row himself along in a direction parallel to the line of surf. When he found that the roai'ing of tiie surf grew louder, he knew that he was drawino; too near ; and \^hen it srrew less loud, he inferred either that he was di awing off from the shore, or that the shore itself was receding ; and In that case he turned in more, so as to keep near the line where the sea was breaking. " At last, he heard breakers directly before him, while the sound continued unabated along the shore by his side. He was glad to hear this, for he supposed that it was a point which put out at that place, and he hoped that, if he could only get round it, he could find a sheltered bay beyond, or, at least, a line of shore not so much exposed to the sea as where he then was, so that he might land. And this proved to be the case. He had some difficulty in getting round the point ; but, when he did get round, he found that the sound of the waves rolling upon the shore was much more feeble, although it seemed equally near. He was very glad to find that this was so, for it was getting quite dark, and this made him kel very lonely. It Is true, he could not see enough to be of any service to him In finding his way ; vet the sensation of light In his eyes was pleasant lJZ LUCr ON THE SEA-SHORE. and cheeiing ; but now, when it became utterly dark, his situation began to seem far more desolate ond crloomy. " At length, he appeared to come to a place where he heard nothing but a ripple on the shore . and it seemed pretty near him, too. He pushed the blade of one of his oars down into the water and, to his great joy, be found that he could touch bottom. In a moment more, the bows of his boat ran up gently on the sand. '• He stepped out, drew his boat up a little way and groped around. He found that he was upor a broad beach. The first thing, then, he knew, was to secure his father's boat. So he dragged it up as far as he could out of the water. But he could not draw it far. He judged, from the con- dition of the beach, that the tide must be nearly out ; and he was afraid that it would come and float off his boat, while he was trying to find his way to some houses on the land. To prevent this, he took out the grapnel, and carried it up on the beach as far as he could, and secured it in the sand. " Then he began to grope his way alongr to- wards the bank. His first object was to find some bushes where he could cut himself a stick. He could always walk a great deal better with a stick ; for by means of it he could feel before him, to ascertain whether any thing was in the wav. He thought that, if he should go up the bank, he should get a stick from some of the trees or bushes vhicli might be gro\^•ing there. BLIND JACK. 173 " He found, however, that the bank was very Picep and gravelly, so that he could not climh up. The foot of it had been washed away by the sea, and what remained was almost perpendicular, and was formed of loose stones and gravel. He did not know how high it was, but at any rate it was higher than he could reach. So he concluded to go along the shore a little way, hoping to find a place where the bank might be lower. '- He, therefore, returned to the edge of the wa- ter, and began to walk along slowly on the sand, when he happened to recollect that there was a boat-hook in the boat, which he thought would answer very well for a feeler. He, therefore, groped his way back to the boat, and took out the boat-hook. This boat-hook was a jx)le, about six feet long, with an iron point in one end, and also a hook formed on the same piece of iron. It was to be used when the boat came up to the rocks, or to a wharf, or to another vessel. By means of the point, Jack's father, in the boat, could push against a rock, or a timber, and fend off, as he called it, so as to prevent the boat's striking too hard ; and with the hook he could catch hold of some edge, or projection, where he wanted to land, and so draw the boat up. This boat-hook was rather too heavy for Jack to use as a feeler; but still, as he could not find any bushes from which he might cut a slender stick, he concluded that he could make it do. " He walked along on the beach, feeling his way with the boat-hook, which he held before him 15* 174 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. He fbiind that be could get along without any trouble. He perceived, also, that the sound ol' the surf grew fainter and fainter, as if he was leaving it beliind him : and he concluded that he was going along the sliore of some little bay. He was glad of this, for he knew that the bay, so far as it extended, would conduct him in where he wanted to go ; for the road on which all the houses were situated, was nearly a mile from the shore, and parallel to it. If the bay, therefore, should extend a quarter of a mile back, it would conduct him so iar inland, and that, too, by a beach on which he could walk much more easily than over uneven ground. " He went on without difficulty for some dis- tance. At last, he found that the line of the shore began to turn. So he thought that he had got to the head of the bay. He walked about very carefully, examining the place by feeling with bis boat-hook, and also by listening to the surf; and at length he satisfied himself that he li^d arrived at the head of the bay. He knew, there- fore, that he must soon leave the shore, and strike oiF through the fields, though he did not see how he could guide himself so as to go on in a straight line. He was very sorry to lose the sound of the surf. It had not only thus far served as a guide, but it had been a great deal of company foj- him. He was sorry, therefore, to go away into a region of utter silence, as well as darkness ; but he knew that there was no alternative. " As he left che sandy beach, he ascended Cwat a SGit of ridge covered with round stones. Thoy had been washed up by the sea. It was difficall walking over it. After he had passed this ridge, he descended again a little, and came upon a level place, where his feet sunk, at every step, into loose sand. He soon crossed this, however, and at the end of it he found a perpendicular bank about as high as his head. He could reach the top of it with his boat-hook. With the help of his boat-hook, he climbed up this bank, and found himself upon grass ground. " The first thing which he did w^as, to hold up his hand, to see if there was any wind ; for, if there was, he thought he could guide himself somewhat by it. There was a gentle evening breeze blow- ing directly towards him, as he stood upon the bank, with his back to the sea. So he determined to go on, and to keep the wind in his face all the time ; and by this means, he hoped to go straight away from the shore, and so, at length, strike the road. " This wind, however, on which he at first de- pended so much, gradually died away, until he could not perceive it at all ; and, after groping his way for half an hour over rough ground, and so covered with rocks and bushes that he was often turned aside from his course, he began to feel very much disheartened and discouraged. He had a great mind to give up, and wait until morning, in hopes that somebody would come out and find him. He concluded, however, to try a little longer. He went on, and in a few momen<5 176 LUCY ON THE SEA-SHORE. he felt somethlnor with his boat-hook risino: before him, like a wall, and stopping his way. On examining it more fully, he found that it was a fence. He was very much pleased that he had found a fence ; ' For now,' said he to himself, ' 1 can go straight again.' " The fence, of course, crossed the line of direc- tion in which he had been advancing. He would have been better pleased, if it had coincided with it, so that he could have gone directly on. Still he thought it would not take him far out of the way ; for pretty soon, he supposed, it would con- duct him to the corner of the field, and then he could turn and follow the other fence, which, he supposed, would conduct him more directly up into the land. " As he was walking along by the side of this fence, feeling his way very carefully as he ad- vanced, suddenly the end of his boat-hook went down into a deep place before him. He stopped, and then he advanced cautiously to the brink. arid, examining the place with his boat-hook, he found that it was the channel of a little creek, with water in the bottom of it flowing towards the sea. " On reflection, he concluded that it would be better for him to leave the fence, and follow the creek ; for there was some uncertainty about the fences, but the creek, though it might wind about for a time, must lead him, in the end, far inland. The creek, he knew, must come from the interior of tlie country, and, of course, must somewhere cross the road ; and he knew, if he followed the creek, that he could tell wher» ne got to the road, by his finding a bridge across ii. '' So he left the fence, and began to grope his way along by the bank of the creek. He had now to go more slowly ; for the roughness and difficulty of the way increased. At first, the course of the creek was very crooked ; but he fol- lowed it, thinking that, if he persevered,' it would certainly bring him out right in the end." As Lucy finished reading that sentence, she looked up, and saw Marielle standing before her. " Why, Marielle ! " said Lucy ; •' I did not know that you were here." " I just came," said Marielle. " Martha wants to know if you have not almost finished your story." " Why, pretty nearly," said Lucy, turning over the leaves of her book. " I've got two or three more pages to read." " Besides," said Marielle, " Martha says that she is afraid the tide will rise so high that we can't get back." " O, well, then," said Lucy, rising hastily from her seat ; " let us go now." " But, then, what shall I do for the rest of my story ? " said Mrs. Star. " Why, I will come down some other day, and finish it," replied Lucy. " Well, that will do ; only tell me now whetlier Jack got home." 178 LUCY ON THE SEA-bHORI.. " Yes," said Lucy, " he got home. He fni lowed the brook up until he came to a bridge, and so he found the road ; and then he walke^l along the road until he got to a house, and the people in the house let him stay there all that night, and in the morning he went home in a wagon." " And what became of his father ? " said Mrs. Star. " Why, his father got blown out to sea ; but when the wind stopped blowing, they rowed back again, and got home the next morning just as Jack was driving up to the door." So saying, Lucy bade Mrs. Star good-by, and went away. She and JMarielle found Martha waiting for them, with Willie in his carnage, ail ready to return homewards. 179 CHAPTER XV. GOING HOME. Lady Jane and the girls remained, after this, several days at the sea-shore. Tliey had many pleasant walks and rides ; and one day they wenl GUI with Mr. St. John in a sail-boat to take a sail. Lucy did not like the sail-boat so well as she did the small skiff propelled by oars, in which she and Marielle took their first excursion upon the \\ater with Mr. St. John. The sail-boat tipped to one side or to the other, in such a manner that Lucy was sometimes veiy much afraid that it would tip over. Mr. St. John assured her that there was no danger ; but, notwithstanding this, she felt much more safe in the little skiff, which went along very even and steady. At last, the time came for them to return home. Marielle's uncle came down from the city, to carry back Willie and his mother; and Parkei- was going to drive Lady Jane and the children They were to go to the city in the afternoon , in the morning of the same day. Lady Jane let Parker drive all the children down to the light- house, with Martha to take care of them. They went to bid Mrs. Star good-by. Lucy forgot to carry down her elephant book, to finish reading the story, and Mrs. Star forgot to ask for it. As ISO LUCY ON IllE SEa SHORE. Lucy had told her the substance of the conclusion o( it, she had dismissed it from her mind. Lucy, however, did not forget to C9rr,' some ol■ange^, which Mi-s. Star was very giad to receive. Then Marielle and Lucy bade Mrs. Star good-by ; and they said that, if they ever came to the sea-siiore again, they should certainly come down to the lighthouse and see her, the first thing. They liked riding all together in the carriage very much, and Marielle said, — " 1 mean to asli my mother to let us children have one carnage, going back to the city, and she and uncle and aunt can have the other." " Yes," said Lucy, " and Martha can go with us, to take care of us. Will you, Martha ? " Martha had no objection to this arrangement ; and when, at dinner-time, Marielle proposed it lo her mother and aunt, she was very glad to find th.at they had no objection either. Accordingly, in riding to the city that afternoon, the. children, with Martha, had the carriage all to themselves. They spent one day in the city, and Marielle's aunt was so much pleased with Lucy's gentleness and docility, that she asked Lady Jane to be sure and bring her with Marielle when she came to ►own again. They tlien bade Willie good-by, and iMarielle's aunt, and lasdy Washington, who stood upon the steps, and made them a very low bow, as they drove away from the door. THE END.