urses and the whelks' eggs that we
found on the sand-bank," said Isobel to her mother. "But Polly climbed
into the ashpit and grubbed them up again. She washed them in a bucket
of water, and they're quite nice now; so I shall put them in a box, to
make sure they'll be safe. Polly's father is part owner of a schooner,
and sometimes they fish up the most enormous fan shells. She says she'll
ask him to give me a few when she's time to go home, but she hasn't had
a night out for nearly three weeks, the season's been so busy."

"Perhaps old Biddy could get you some large fan shells," suggested Mrs.
Stewart. "I believe they find them sometimes very far out on the beach
when they're shrimping."

Biddy was a well-known character in Silversands. She was a lively old
Irishwoman, with the strongest of brogues and the most beguiling of
tongues. In a blue check apron, and with a red shawl tied over her head,
she might be seen every morning wheeling her barrow down the parade,
where her amusing powers of blarney, added to the freshness of her fish,
secured her a large circle of customers among what she called "the
quality." She had a wonderful memory for faces, and always recognized
families who paid a second visit to the town.

"Why, it's niver Masther Charlie, sure?" she exclaimed with delight, on
meeting the Chesters one day. "It's meself that knew the bright face of
yez the moment I saw ut, though ye're growed such a foine young
gintleman an' all. Ye was staying at No. 7 two years back with yer
mamma--an illigant lady she was, too--and your sister, Miss Hilda, the
swate little colleen. Holy saints! this must be herself and none other,
for it's not twice ye'd see such a pair of eyes and forgit them."

What became of Biddy during the winter, when there were no visitors to
buy her fish, was an unsolved mystery. "Sure, I makes what I can by the
koindness of sthrangers during the summer toime!" she had replied when
Isobel once sounded her on the subject. "There's many a one as gives me
an extra penny or two, or says, 'Kape the change, Biddy Mulligan!' The
Blessed Virgin reward them! Thank you kindly, marm," as Mrs. Stewart
took the hint. "May your bed in heaven be aisy, and may ye niver lack a
copper to give to them as needs it."

Besides Biddy, Isobel had a number of other acquaintances in
Silversands. There was the coastguard at the cottage on the top of the
cliffs, who sometimes allowed her to look through his telescope, and wh