phere seemed to tremble and
quiver, while everything else was motionless. Not a breath of air was
stirring to wave the grass or to ruffle the surface of the great
land-drains, whose waters shone like molten silver; while the road was
powdered into an almost impalpable dust, which rose in clouds as the
horse's hoofs beat and the wheels spun over its arid surface.

At last, however, as they neared the sea-bank, a soft and cooling breeze
began to fan the travellers' cheeks; the horse tossed his head and
snuffed the air, as though delighted with the grateful sensation it
imparted; and at the end of another quarter of an hour the car wheels
were sinking deep in the dry sandy road which led up to the inn, where
they were going on this occasion to leave the horse, as this afternoon's
trip was only for a quiet ramble by the sea to collect a few stranded
sea-weeds and shells.

When they reached the shore, they found the tide coming in, while the
sands were as level and smooth on the elevated parts as a table, though,
in the lower, beautifully and regularly traced all over with the little
ripple-marks left by the sea when the tide is going out upon a calm day.
There was no difficulty about gathering specimens, for the gentle waves
landed plenty of beautiful weeds at their feet, while many shells and
prettily-marked pebbles lay about the sands.

"Oh! how hot," said Harry; "shouldn't I like a dip! I say, Papa, mayn't
we have a bathe?"

"Oh! yes, Papa, do let us," said Philip; "it would be beautiful. I
should like to go in so much."

Fred was as anxious to have a dip as his cousins; and as the tide was
coming in, and the water as smooth as possible, Mr Inglis gave his
consent, and stopped upon the sands while the boys all jumped into the
bathing-machine; and the old horse being fastened to it, they were
dragged a short distance into the water, and there left. They soon had
the door opened, and then one at a time made their appearance in the
sea, where they swam about to their hearts' content; of course, Harry
and Philip performing all the swimming, and Fred the splashing. And
delightful was that bathe, for the sun shone so warmly that the water
felt quite tepid, and there was no disposition to shiver or feel cold,
but every little wave that rolled in seemed to be laden with freshness
and vigour. The boys enjoyed their dip so much that Mr Inglis had to
call them out, or they would have stopped in for an hour. But he had