o enjoy ourselves
together, you and I, in spite of rain or any other troubles. Suppose we
go through all your collections. You could write the names under the
wild flowers you have pressed, arrange the shells in boxes, and float
some of the sea-weeds on to pieces of writing-paper."

Isobel cheered up at once at the idea of something definite to do, and
the table was very soon spread over with the various treasures she had
gathered upon the beach. Silversands was a good place for shells, and
she had many rare and beautiful kinds, from pearly cowries to scallops
and wentletraps. She sorted them out carefully, putting big, little, and
middle-sized ones in separate heaps; she had great ideas of what she
would do with them when she was at home again, intending to construct
shell boxes, photo frames, and various other knickknacks in imitation
of the wonderful things which were sold at the toy-shop near the railway
station.

"If I could make a very nice frame, mother," she said, "I should like to
send it to Mrs. Jackson for a Christmas present, to put Emma Jane's
photo in. I believe she'd be quite pleased to hang it up in the kitchen
with the funeral cards. I might manage a shell box for old Biddy, too.
It would scarcely do for a handkerchief box, because I don't believe she
ever uses such a thing as a pocket handkerchief, but I dare say she
would like it to put something in. Do you think the shells would stick
on to tin if we made the glue strong enough? I could do a tobacco-box
then for Mr. Cass the coastguard, one that he could keep in the parlour
for best."

"I'm afraid you will have to collect more shells if you intend to make
so many presents," said Mrs. Stewart. "I think, however, that we might
manufacture some pretty pin-cushions out of these large fan shells by
boring holes in the ends, fastening them together with bows of ribbon,
and gluing a small velvet cushion in between."

"That would be delightful!" cried Isobel, "and something quite different
to give people. I'm afraid they're rather tired of my needle books and
stamp cases. I wish we could think of anything to do with the
sea-weed."

"We're going to float them on to pieces of paper, and when they are dry
we will paste them in a large scrap album, and find out their names from
a book which I think I can borrow from the Free Library at home."

"I don't quite know how to float them."

"You must watch me do this one, and then you will be able to manage the