are, Celestina. And oh, mamma, mayn't I stay a
little with Celestina and look for them too?'

Mrs. Vane hesitated.

'I'm afraid not, Biddy,' she said. 'I must be going in--and Alie too.
She must write to grandmamma to-day.'

'Oh, but mayn't _I_ stay?' asked Biddy entreatingly. 'It's quite safe
for me if it's safe for Celestina, and she says her mamma often lets her
come out on the shore alone.'

Mrs. Vane looked round; the seashore was perfectly quiet except for one
or two old fishermen mending their nets at some distance. One could have
thought it miles away from the little port and the ships and the
sailors. Then, too, the Rectory was a very short distance off, and
indeed from its upper windows this sheltered stretch of sand could be
clearly seen.

'Well, yes,' she said. 'You may stay for half an hour or so--not longer.
And indeed by then it will be quite time for you too to be going home,
will it not, my little girl?' she added to Celestina.

'Yes, ma'am. I must be home by half-past four, and it takes twenty
minutes from here. I can go past the Rectory and see Miss----' she
hesitated over the name, 'Miss Biddy in at the gate, if you please,'
said Celestina, in her womanly little way.

Mrs. Vane thanked her; then she and Rosalys walked on, and the two small
damsels were left alone.

'Why must you be in by half-past four?' asked Biddy.

'It's getting dark by then,' said Celestina. 'Besides there's things to
do. I get the tea ready very often. When mother's not very busy it waits
for her till she can leave the shop, but to-day I know she's busy, 'cos
father's got a great many letters to write. So I'll get the table all
ready.'

Bridget gazed at her.

'Do you like doing it?' she asked. 'You're such a little girl, you
see--not much bigger than me, and you play with dolls.'

'I like to be useful to mother,' said Celestina simply.

This was rather a new idea to Bridget, and she was sometimes very lazy
about thinking over new ideas.

'Alie's useful to mamma, I suppose,' she said, 'but then she's the
eldest. And you're the only one--that's why, I daresay. Is it nice to be
the only one?'

'Sometimes it's very alone,' said Celestina, 'some days when mother's
very busy and I scarcely see her, and I've nobody to show the dolls to.'

'I know,' said Biddy. 'I'm rather alone too, for Alie's so big, you see.
Oh, Celestina, do look, isn't this a beauty? Look, it's all pinky
inside. Now I've got six and this beaut