e Imperial Villa
a number of tall, liveried footmen, each with a tray or basket piled up
high with feminine finery, and this procession wended its way to two
pretty little tents hard by the sea.

Next there appeared the Empress and four maids of honour, who came also
to the tents, the Empress going alone into one with a tasteful blue and
silver drapery round it. See, now the ladies emerge from their disrobing
rooms, and walk slowly down to the water between the double line of
inquisitive but respectful visitors. Each lady has a coat, vest, and
trousers of black silk, with the neatest of little boots, and the most
winning of large-brimmed black straw hats--that of the Empress being
trimmed with a narrow band of red.

When they reached the water five big fellows approached, all dressed in
red flannel. These bathing men each proceeded to tie an empty gourd,
like a water-bottle, a sort of life-preserver, round the waist of a lady,
and then, first politely bowing, he lifted the lady in his arms, as a
nurse catches up a little child, and so with his fair burden he marched
into the waves.

When they were at about four feet deep the man allowed the lady to float
on her back, and with his arms under her arms he supported her as each
wave rose and fell.

All the time of these strange doings there was a large boat close to the
merry party, and with several men in it, who kept beating the water with
long poles--What is that for? To keep away the sharks. {291} Such is
Majesty afloat. Yes, they do these things better in France!

[Picture: The Empress in the Sea]

And now, near the end of our voyage alone, came the pleasantest part of
it all, because the most useful to others. We had anchored often beside
these three ships for boys, and always with more delight:--the
'Worcester,' for gentlemen cadets; the 'Chichester,' for homeless boys;
and the 'Cornwall,' for lads sent to her as a Reformatory ship.

Many of the youngsters now on board the first or the second of these
might have been qualified for the third vessel, but for the conventions
of life and the machinery of education that tries to keep all "wild boys"
from being classed as criminals.

Both you and I might have easily strayed into the police dock or the gaol
cell but for a guiding hand, a mother's care, a sister's love, a father's
rod, a home, a competence, a somebody caring for us, if not a friend. So
don't be hard on the boys in the 'Co