dropped.

Presently they came to a boat-shed, placed opposite the village and
close to high-water mark. Here a man, it was old Edward, was engaged
in mending a canoe. Geoffrey glanced at it and saw that it was the
identical canoe out of which he had so nearly been drowned.

"Look, Effie," said he, "that is the boat out of which I was upset."
Effie opened her wide eyes, and stared at the frail craft.

"It is a horrid boat," she said; "I don't want to look at it."

"You're quite right, little miss," said old Edward, touching his cap.
"It ain't safe, and somebody will be drowned out of it one of these
days. I wish it had gone to the bottom, I do; but Miss Beatrice, she is
that foolhardy there ain't no doing nothing with her."

"I fancy that she has learnt a lesson," said Geoffrey.

"May be, may be," grumbled the old man, "but women folk are hard to
teach; they never learn nothing till it's too late, they don't, and
then when they've been and done it they're sorry, but what's the good o'
that?"

Meanwhile another conversation was in progress not more than a quarter
of a mile away. On the brow of the cliff stood the village of Bryngelly,
and at the back of the village was a school, a plain white-washed
building, roofed with stone, which, though amply sufficient and suitable
to the wants of the place, was little short of an abomination in the
eyes of Her Majesty's school inspectors, who from time to time descended
upon Bryngelly for purposes of examination and fault-finding. They
yearned to see a stately red-brick edifice, with all the latest
improvements, erected at the expense of the rate-payers, but as yet they
yearned in vain. The school was supported by voluntary contributions,
and thanks to Beatrice's energy and good teaching, the dreaded Board,
with its fads and extravagance, had not yet clutched it.

Beatrice had returned to her duties that afternoon, for a night's rest
brought back its vigour to her strong young frame. She had been greeted
with enthusiasm by the children, who loved her, as well they might, for
she was very gentle and sweet with them, though few dared to disobey
her. Besides, her beauty impressed them, though they did not know it.
Beauty of a certain sort has perhaps more effect on children than on any
other class, heedless and selfish as they often seem to be. They feel
its power; it is an outward expression of the thoughts and dreams that
bud in their unknowing hearts, and is somehow mixed