a look of pleasure kindled in our mother's eyes.
He was a brother to be proud of, I can tell you.

"Once every year we shut up house and paid a visit to a brother of my
father's, who resided by the sea shore, on the eastern coast of our
island. This visit was always a source of pleasure to Ned and myself.
Living inland, the sight of Old Father Ocean, in calm or in storm, was
like the face of a dear old friend which we hail with delight. We
usually contrived to make the best of our six weeks' stay, and would
crowd as much pleasure as it was possible into every day; no moment
hung heavily on our hands, the time passed only too rapidly, so that
at the end of each visit we appeared to have been there but three,
instead of six weeks.

"Our Uncle was an uncle that would gladden any boy's heart; he
delighted to have us staying in the house; he said it made the old
place cheery and pleasant, for he had the misfortune to be a bachelor;
and with the exception of his old housekeeper--whom we boys half
worried to death--and his female servants, he saw no 'women folk,' all
the year round, but our mother. He was one of the right sort, always
planning pic-nics, fishing and rowing excursions; and kept his purse
continually in his hand, ready to tip us handsomely, for he appeared
to have an instinct that money burnt a hole in our pockets.

"But it was seldom we were in the house, except at meals and to sleep;
the cliffs and beach proved too attractive, and we were soon 'hail
well met!' with all the fishermen, and speedily became acquainted with
the inside of each cottage, and the respective qualities of each boat,
as we were with the humours and dispositions of their several owners.
Many were the rows, and sails the fishermen gave us; morning, noon,
and night, we were ever welcome.

"One of our chief pleasures was to go out fishing with them in the
early mornings. Provided the weather was fine, we would be up, and
out, and down on the beach long before any of our uncle's domestics
were astir, and as soon as the boatmen appeared with whom we were
going, it was in boat, out oars, and away we went, skimming joyously
over the waters, which already sparkled with the beams of the rising
sun.

"Ah, what happy mornings those were. How joyously we laughed, and
joked, and shouted; how full of life and health we were; no sorrow as
yet had chilled our hearts, wrinkled our brows, or made our spirits
look sadly from out our eyes; no, everythin