room where the two girls were talking, and Ruth followed her cousin d

de her rose to meet their cousin. Ernest, the elder of the two, was a tall, thin lad of fifte

ovable little fellow. He chattered continually during the meal, and did a great deal to take off the sense of shyness that Ruth felt in the

rst visit to the sea-side. I think we had better put on our hats and go

she looks rather tired, and we must rememb

the next morning. But she was rather dismayed by Julia's saying, "Well, I don't see any reason for our remaining indoors. Of cours

heir right names, and say 'conc

must leave your cousin this eveni

own feelings, though she did not much like the idea of spending the evenin

on the beach, while the boy appeared to be entirely occupied with his book. It was rather dull, this first evening away from home; it seemed scarcely possible that she had really only left Cressleigh that mornin

ion in the charms of his book, and he at once endeavoured

most forgot-do you like conchology?" he

Ruth's meek reply, "but I believe it

wouldn't care for

ad a chance to study any 'ologies,' they did not teach the

but I enjoy this. Just look at these shells, aren't they beau

ld her what he had been reading, and promised to get her some specimens the ne

ng?" asked Julia, when they were in the

nchology, and explained about the shells, and h

sed, "I should not have thought tha

g brightly, and she was astonished to find that she had slept until half-past seven. She was accustomed to rise very early at home, and

ied, "it's very late.

time?" was as

past s

. "We always breakfast at eight at home, but I

to the beach, feeling so full of joy and gladness that she could hardly restrain herself from singing, as she often did in the fields at Cressleigh. The sunlight sparkled upon the crested waves as they broke gently upon the shore, and the tide came in, slowly creeping up t

r morning ramble, she did not notice the unpleasant glances which Julia bestowed upon her dress, a blue

" said Mrs. Woburn after breakfast. "Where do

dy. She came down a few minutes later looking very nice in her pretty holland dress

" she exclaimed, as she caught sight of her cousin sitting by

t?" but the sight of her cousin's simple but pre

go to the Esplanade," said