Monitress Merle

st B

e side of the jetty. The rising tide, lapping slowly and gently in from the ocean, was floating the boats beached on the shingle, and was gradually driving back the crowd of barefooted children who had ventured out in search of mussels, and was sending them, shrieking with mi

en in Chagmouth, and as they both considered the little town to be the absolute hub of the universe it was really a great event to find themselves once more in its familiar streets. They had spent the summer holidays with their father and mother in the north, and had come back to

ke place till nearly Christmas, so the girls were to spend another term in sole charge of Uncle David, Aunt Nellie, and Jessop the elderly housekeeper, an arrangement which, though they were sorry to be parted from their parents, pleased them uncommonly well. It was a favourite excursion of theirs to accompany their uncle on Saturdays when he motored to visit patients at Chagmouth. On these occasions they would have lunch and tea

school! I thought we should ju

as decided quite in a hurry because there happened to be a vacancy for her. It's a very fashionable school where they take the girls out to theatres and concerts and all sorts of places.

affy's back as a rule. Won't it be very lonely for Babbie all by herself w

er over every day, and fetch her back at four. She's quite pleased a

eports, is going to be an utter

room that will sweep very clean. It strikes me those nice do-as-you-please lessons with Miss Fanny will be dreams

s la

, don't let us spoil the last Saturday of the holidays with thinking about it. I want to enjoy this afternoon thoroughly. I feel as if I'd be

reen where it touched the shore. Innumerable sea-birds wheeled and screamed below, and the incoming tide lapped with little white waves over the reefs of rocks, and submerged the pools where gobies were darting about, and sea-anemones were stretching out crimson or green tentacles, and sc

the!" urged Mavis impatiently. "Do hurry up now, and you can absolutely gorge on

auty! There! I won't eat a single one more till I've had my

stified to its former use. Nowadays it was commonly deserted, and in the early part of the summer, when Mavis and Merle had been wont to visit it, they had had it all to themselves. They had gone there so often and

demanded Merle sharpl

rtal question, "Who'

ront and had first view of the scene beneath. "The place is an absolute 'seaside

obbing in and out of the water, every rocky crevice was in use as a dressing-room, picnic parties were taking tea on the rocks, and a circle of boys and girls were playing a noisy game at the brink of the waves. Ver

ellow Head?" venture

ar-weed unless the water's high. Never mind! There'll be elbow-room in the sea at any rate.

JUST READY! YOU CAN

as two girls in navy bathing costumes and rubber caps issued from beh

urse of a few minutes more were revelling in a swim. The red rubber caps of the girls who preceded them were plainly to be s

vis warned us about it!" gasped Mavis, swimming securely wit

er lungs than her sister. "They don't hear me! Coo-oo-ee! That's do

anions, trying to make wheels and to perform various other feats of agility, which were generally failures and ended in a splash. They were so long about it that M

than the sands, and began to spread out the cups and saucers and parcels of cakes which Jessop had packed for them, congratulating themselves upon having a spot at least fairly apart. But they were not

have taken its meal separately had not an unforeseen and utterly untoward accident happened. Mavis knocked their thermos flask with her elbow

down to pick it up!" la

rle! It was horri

suggested one of the s

; and that's more than w

t just a

to us not to go on to those rocks!" put in

but she smiled invitingly and

hat they had never before seen three such pretty girls. The two who had worn the red bathing caps were evidently sisters, for they had the same clear-cut features, fair complexions, cupid mouths, and beautiful dark-fringed eyes. Their companion, whose brown hai

ng in Chagmout

for the day from Durra

ers looked immed

re going to start sch

oorings'!" gaspe

ou go there too? Oh! I

zy to know what it's li

re the rest of the sch

ard

alk about, the ice was completely broken, and the

and thirteen, were Beata and Romola Castleton, and their father, an artist, had lately removed from Porthkeverne in Cornwall, and had taken a house at Chagmouth. Their friend Fay Macleod, a year older than Beata, was an American, whose f

oarders?" ventured Mavis, when Fa

fetched back at four-ourselves, Nan and Lizzie Colville, and Tattie Carew. It will be rather a squash to cram s

be a day-girl this term

Warr

n't room

ng in thei

footboard or the luggage-carrier. Is Babbie fair, with bobbed hair? Then I've seen her

Miss Pollard told mother that the new mistress, Miss Mitchell, is going to reorganise everything, and bring it

ied Beata. "We loved it, and we were dreadfully sorry t

ard and Miss Fanny. I hope you'll like them too! I'm so glad we've met you, because we'll know you when you arrive at school, and we can show you round. I'm afraid we shall h

ues wagged fast in discussion of their new acquaintances. Mavis was cha

I believe this term is going to be jolly. My spirits are rising and I see fun ahead. I only wish Daddy could go and live at Chagmouth

er five! We must simply scoot-oh, I daresay I did promise you might eat blackberries, but you haven't time now. You shouldn't have stayed so long at the cove if you wanted a blackberry feed! If you