e examination to see
whether there were any bruises or dents, she said--

'Well, Ida, we must have yours; run and fetch it out of the box. You
have the key of it.' And she held out the key of the cupboard where the
spoons were daily taken out by herself or Ida.

The teapot had been left to Ida by a godmother, who had been a farmer's
wife, with a small legacy, but was of an unfashionable make and seldom
saw the light.

'That horrid, great clumsy thing!' said Ida. 'You had much better use
the blue china one.'

'I'll never use that crockery for company when there's silver in the
house! What would Mrs. Denham say if she dropped in?'

'I won't pour out tea in that ugly, heavy brute of a thing.'

'Then if you won't, I will. Give me the key this instant!'

'It is mine, and I am not going to give it up!'

'Come, Ida,' said Herbert, weary of the altercation; 'any one would think
you had made away with it! Let us have it for peace's sake.'

'It's no business of yours.'

He whistled. However, at that moment the door-bell rang.

It was to admit a couple of old ladies, whom both the young people viewed
as very dull company; and the story of the illness of 'my brother, Lord
Northmoor,' as related by their mother, had become very tedious, so that
as soon as possible they both sauntered out on the beach.

'I wonder when uncle will send for you!' Ida said. 'He must give you a
good allowance now.'

'Don't talk of it, Ida; it makes me sick to think of it. I say--is that
the old red rock where they saw the last of the poor little kid?'

'Yes; that was where his hat was.'

'Did you find it? Was it washed up?'

'Don't talk of such dreadful things, Bertie; I can't bear it! And
there's Rose Rollstone!'

Ida would have done her utmost to keep her brother and Rose Rollstone
apart at any other time, but she was at the moment only too glad to
divert his attention, and allowed him, without protest, to walk up to
Rose, shake hands with her, and rejoice in her coming home for good; but,
do what Ida would, she could not keep him from recurring to the thought
of the little cousin of whom he had been very fond.

'Such a jolly little kid!' he said; 'and full of spirit! You should have
seen him when I picked him up before me on the cob. How he laughed!'

'So good, too,' said Rose. 'He looked so sweet with those pretty brown
eyes and fair curls at church that last Sunday.'

'I can't make out how it was. The tide could