d removed them further back.

'Why, I'm blessed if there ain't some ladies a-going in!' exclaimed Mr.
Joseph Tuggs, with intense astonishment.

'Lor, pa!' exclaimed Miss Charlotta.

'There _is_, my dear,' said Mr. Joseph Tuggs. And, sure enough, four
young ladies, each furnished with a towel, tripped up the steps of a
bathing-machine. In went the horse, floundering about in the water;
round turned the machine; down sat the driver; and presently out burst
the young ladies aforesaid, with four distinct splashes.

'Well, that's sing'ler, too!' ejaculated Mr. Joseph Tuggs, after an
awkward pause. Mr. Cymon coughed slightly.

'Why, here's some gentlemen a-going in on this side!' exclaimed Mrs.
Tuggs, in a tone of horror.

Three machines--three horses--three flounderings--three turnings
round--three splashes--three gentlemen, disporting themselves in the
water like so many dolphins.

'Well, _that's_ sing'ler!' said Mr. Joseph Tuggs again. Miss Charlotta
coughed this time, and another pause ensued. It was agreeably broken.

'How d'ye do, dear? We have been looking for you, all the morning,' said
a voice to Miss Charlotta Tuggs. Mrs. Captain Waters was the owner of
it.

'How d'ye do?' said Captain Walter Waters, all suavity; and a most
cordial interchange of greetings ensued.

'Belinda, my love,' said Captain Walter Waters, applying his glass to his
eye, and looking in the direction of the sea.

'Yes, my dear,' replied Mrs. Captain Waters.

'There's Harry Thompson!'

'Where?' said Belinda, applying her glass to her eye.

'Bathing.'

'Lor, so it is! He don't see us, does he?'

'No, I don't think he does' replied the captain. 'Bless my soul, how
very singular!'

'What?' inquired Belinda.

'There's Mary Golding, too.'

'Lor!--where?' (Up went the glass again.)

'There!' said the captain, pointing to one of the young ladies before
noticed, who, in her bathing costume, looked as if she was enveloped in a
patent Mackintosh, of scanty dimensions.

'So it is, I declare!' exclaimed Mrs. Captain Waters. 'How very curious
we should see them both!'

'Very,' said the captain, with perfect coolness.

'It's the reg'lar thing here, you see,' whispered Mr. Cymon Tuggs to his
father.

'I see it is,' whispered Mr. Joseph Tuggs in reply. 'Queer,
though--ain't it?' Mr. Cymon Tuggs nodded assent.

'What do you think of doing with yourself this morning?' inquired the
captain. 'Shall we lunch at Pegwell?