fair and comely in this
flood of light.

Noll Trafford scanned the little wharf, where a motley collection of
men were gathered, with a quick-beating heart. Which of them could be
Uncle Richard? Would he give him a kind welcome? The boy's spirits
began to rise somewhat under the influence of the broad, cheerful glow
of sunshine and the speedy prospect of meeting this uncle who was to
be as a father to him. The remembrance of the gray old house under the
shadow of the rocks around the curve of the shore still lay somewhat
heavily on his heart; but if Uncle Richard were only glad to see him,
all that would not matter, he thought. He stood by the prow as the
"Gull" moved slowly up to the wharf, eagerly scanning every face that
was watching the craft's motions. A sudden pang of disappointment
chilled him from head to foot, for among that idle, shiftless-looking
group, there was not one whom he could possibly mistake for his uncle.
They were all fishermen, dull-faced, dirty, and out at their elbows.
Some frowsy, ill-clad women had come out of their houses, and, with
children clinging to their skirts, looked on with idle curiosity.

So this was Culm Rock! Noll's bright fancies had all fled, and his
heart was suddenly very heavy. He looked back across the sea toward
Hastings, longingly, and thus verified the skipper's prediction. If
Uncle Richard had only been there to greet him, he thought, chokingly,
it would not have mattered so much, but now, it was all forlorn and
dreary enough.

"'Tain't much uv a town arter all; is it?" drawled Mr. Snape, with a
broad grin on his thick features.

"Shut up, Jack!" growled the skipper. "Can't ye see the lad's got all
he ken weather?" Then he turned to Noll, proffering his rough
sympathy. "Sorry fur ye!" he said. "Culm ain't the place for the like
o' you, an' what ye cum here fur, I can't see. But keep a stout heart,
lad, an' rough it out best way ye can; ain't no other way now."

"I'm going to," said Noll, with an effort; "I won't mind after a
little, I guess. Good-by, skipper;" and he stepped out on to the
little wharf among the fish-folk, who made way, regarding him
curiously.

"Keep 'long up the shore," called the master of the "Gull" after him,
"and you'll cum to the house afore long. I'll send yer trunks up by
some o' these 'ere good-fur-nothin' Culm folks. Good-by, lad!"

The skipper watched the boyish figure walking away up the sands, and
remarked to his mat