ward. From time to time
the strong sea-breeze brought him the sound of infantine screams and
shouts of girlish laughter from the unseen shore; he only looked the
more keenly and suspiciously for any wandering trespasser, and did not
turn his head. He lay there nearly half an hour, and when the sounds had
ceased, rose and made his way slowly back to the cabin. He had not gone
many yards before he heard the twitter of voices and smothered laughter
behind him. He turned; it was Cara and the child,--a girl of six or
seven. Cara's face was rosy,--possibly from her bath, and possibly
from some shame-faced consciousness. He slackened his pace, and as they
ranged beside him said, "Good-morning!"

"Lord!" said Cara, stifling another laugh, "we didn't know you were
around; we thought you were always 'tending your telegraph, didn't we,
Lucy?" (to the child, who was convulsed with mirth and sheepishness).
"Why, we've been taking a wash in the sea." She tried to gather up her
long hair, which had been left to stray over her shoulders and dry in
the sunlight, and even made a slight pretense of trying to conceal the
wet towels they were carrying.

Jarman did not laugh. "If you had told me," he said gravely, "I could
have kept watch for you with my glass while you were there. I could see
further than you."

"Tould you see US?" asked the little girl, with hopeful vivacity.

"No!" said Jarman, with masterly evasion. "There are little sandhills
between this and the beach."

"Then how tould other people see us?" persisted the child.

Jarman could see that the older girl was evidently embarrassed, and
changed the subject. "I sometimes go out," he said, "when I can see
there are no vessels in sight, and I take ray glass with me. I can
always get back in time to make signals. I thought, in fact," he said,
glancing at Cara's brightening face, "that I might get as far as
your house on the shore some day." To his surprise, her embarrassment
suddenly seemed to increase, although she had looked relieved before,
and she did not reply. After a moment she said abruptly:--

"Did you ever see the sea-lions?"

"No," said Jarman.

"Not the big ones on Seal Rock, beyond the cliffs?" continued the girl,
in real astonishment.

"No," repeated Jarman. "I never walked in that direction." He vaguely
remembered that they were a curiosity which sometimes attracted parties
thither, and for that reason he had avoided the spot.

"Why, I have sailed al