nd Rosalys were talking about later that afternoon.

CHAPTER VII

ON THE SEASHORE

'The sands of the sea stretch far and fine,
The rocks start out of them sharp and slim.'
_A Legend of the Sea._

'Oh dear,' exclaimed Mrs. Vane one morning at breakfast two or three
days after the children's walk in to Seacove. Everybody looked up--the
two girls and Rough were at table with their father and mother. Mrs.
Vane had just opened and begun to read a letter. What could be the
matter?

'It is from Miss Millet,' she said; 'her sister's children have got
scarlet fever, and she has got a bad sore throat herself from nursing
them. They had no idea what it was at first,' she went on reading from
the letter; 'but of course she cannot come back to us for ever so long
on account of the infection.'

'Poor Miss Millet,' said Rosalys.

'_I_ don't mind,' said Biddy; 'I like having holidays.'

Alie, who was sitting next her, gave her a little touch.

'Hush, Biddy,' she said, 'that's just one of the things you say that
sound _so_ unkind.'

She spoke in a whisper, and fortunately for Bridget her father and
mother were too much taken up with the letter to notice what she had
said.

'I didn't mean,' Biddy was beginning as usual, but Mrs. Vane was
speaking to Alie by this time, and no one listened to Biddy.

'I must write to Miss Millet at once,' their mother said, 'though I
shall ask her not to write often till the infection is gone--she says
this letter is disinfected. And, Alie, you had better put in a little
word, and Biddy too, if she likes. It would be kind.'

'Yes, mamma,' said Alie at once, but Bridget did not answer.

It was not usual for Mrs. Vane to discuss plans and arrangements for the
children before them, but this morning her mind was so full of the
unexpected turn of affairs that she could not help talking about them.

'It will be a question of several weeks--even months, I fear,' she said
to Mr. Vane; 'there are such a lot of those children, and Miss Millet
is sure to wish to nurse them all. We must think over what to do.'

'Perhaps you and I can manage the girls between us,' said Mr. Vane.

'Alie perhaps,' began Mrs. Vane doubtfully.

'Yes,' said Bridget suddenly, to every one's astonishment, 'if it was
only Alie. But it would never do for me. I'd be too much for you and
papa, mamma.'

She spoke quite gravely, but the others had hard work