e returned
with his master, their eyes were greeted with a curious sight.

On the spit of shingle, and staring open-mouthed at the notice, stood
the Twins, their honest faces expressing the extreme of perplexity.
A few yards off the shore, in their boat, waited Tamsin, and leant
quietly on her paddles.

[Illustration: Staring open-mouthed at the notice.]

At the sight of her, Caleb's face fell a full inch; but he led his
master down and planted him resolutely in front of the board.
Mr. Fogo stared helplessly from it to the Twins.

"Mornin', sir," said Peter, after a long pause. His face wore a
deepened colour, and he smiled awkwardly.

"Good-morning," replied Mr. Fogo.

"A fine mornin'," repeated Peter, with a long gaze at the board, "an'
no mistake."

There was another long interval, during which everybody stared hard
at the Notice.

"'Tes a powerful fine mornin'," Peter re-asserted very slowly, "ef so
be as your station in life es in noways connected with turmuts.
Ef 'tes the less us says about the mornin' the better." With this
observation Peter looked hard at Mr. Fogo, as if the ball of
conversation now lay in that gentleman's hands.

"What do 'ee think o' this 'ere Notice?" broke in Caleb.

Paul twitched his yellow bandanna and smiled evasively.

"'Tes very pretty writin', sir, sure-ly," he replied, addressing Mr.
Fogo. "Nice thick down-strokes, an' all as it shou'd be."

"Uncommon fash'nubble et makes the beach look, sir, a'ready," added
Peter.

Some mental reservation seemed to lurk behind this criticism.
Mr. Fogo looked dubiously from the Twins to Caleb, who stood with his
eyes fixed on his handiwork.

"Axin' your pard'n, sir, an' makin' so free as to mention et," began
Peter at length, pulling off his hat and twirling the brim between
his fingers, "but us was a bit taken aback, not understandin' as
fash'nubbleness was to begin so smart; or us wou'dn't have
introoded--spesh'ly Tamsin. Tamsin was thinkin' this mornin' as a
pound of fresh butter might be acceptable to the gentl'm'n down at
Kit's House, wi' ha'f a dozen fresh eggs or so, 'cos her Minorcy hen
began to lay agen last week, an' the spickaty Hamburg as allays lays
double yolks; an' Paul an' me agreed you wudn' be above acceptin' a
little present o' this natur', not seemin' proud, an' Tamsin shou'd
bring et hersel', the eggs bein' hers in a manner o' speakin'.
But us was not wishful to introod, sir, an' iver since us seed the