small objects of various shapes.

"I, too; and see how crusted the rock is with barnacles. How their
edges do cut! Dear little things, they'll go to sleep now till the tide
comes back again."

"Go to sleep!" laughed Sylvia. "As if they were anything but gray
stones!"

"Indeed, you are mistaken. I wonder if I could wake one of those
fellows up," and Miss Derwent splashed water over one of the stony
clusters. They remained lifeless.

"The tide has left them too recently," she said. "They're not hungry."

"Oh, Edna,--I mean Miss Derwent."

"No, call me Edna. I'd like you to. Sometimes I can make them open
those stiff shells and put out five little fingers to gather in their
food."

Sylvia shook her head. "You've told me lots of fairy stories the last
two days, but that is the most improbable. What are you doing?"

"Getting you a sea urchin." Edna had rolled her sleeves to the shoulder
and was plunging her arm into the water. She brought out a spiny prize.

"What is it covered with? Wet grass?" asked Sylvia, regarding the
blackish object with disfavor. "Why, you said those charming lavender
candlesticks of yours, all embroidered in tiny holes, were sea
urchins."

"So they are, but this is smaller. I'm going to try to get you some big
ones. Do you care for starfish?" Edna swooped upon one and drew it
forth waving its pink legs helplessly.

"Of course!" exclaimed Sylvia excitedly. "How lovely. I'm going to have
a sea cabinet."

"Oh, there," cried Edna, "I see a big urchin now, but I'm afraid I
can't get him!"

"Can't?" exclaimed a voice incredulously. "He'll give himself to you,"
and Dunham dropped lightly from the rock above the absorbed girls, who
sat up suddenly to find him standing beside them.

Sylvia was first to recognize the apparition. "Mr. Dunham!" she
exclaimed, and the blood pulsed in her ears with the voice of the sea.

"Why, it is Mr. Dunham," said Edna, and leaning on her wet hand she
reached up the other to greet him. Then he shook hands with Sylvia.

"It's a good thing you carry around those curls for people to know you
by, Miss Lacey," he said.

Her upturned eyes were dark with excitement, her sudden color was high.
There were little freckles across the bridge of her piquant nose. She
was alive and glowing in every line.

"Where did you spring from?" asked Edna, brushing back a lock of hair
with the back of her wet hand.

"First from the office, then from the Tide Mill, later from yo