y good-natured and kind to them on the
whole."

"Yes, indeed she is," said Mervyn; "but oh! just look at that, isn't
it exquisite?"

"Lovely!" cried Frank. "It's a regular shower of golden hail! But I
think I like the Roman candles best. Look, Bunny, there's
one--see--those two stars--watch how they change colour--first
they're red--then blue--then--"

"Oh, yes, yes," cried Bunny dancing about. "There they go, right
away over the sea! What lovely things fireworks are!"

"It is a pity we could not have gone down on the Spa to see the set
pieces," said Frank. "I believe they are most beautiful. But then
the crowd is something dreadful."

"Do they send the fireworks up from the Spa?" asked Mervyn; "they
look just as if they were coming from the road up there in front of
the Crown Hotel."

"No, they are sent from a place just over the Spa, up among the
trees there, but a long way below the hotel."

"Oh dear! there goes a splendid rocket," cried Mervyn, "and doesn't
it make a lovely noise?"

"Oh! I can't bear the noise," said Bunny, putting her fingers in her
ears, "it makes me jump."

"Now that is really charming!" said Miss Kerr, as the whole bay with
its ships and boats was suddenly illuminated by a brilliant crimson
light. "How lovely everything looks in that soft, rich colour!"

"Oh! and I declare you can see Oliver's Mount and the dear little
cake shop," cried Bunny. "And, Mervyn, I wonder where our old
donkeys are to-night," and she peered away out in the direction of
the sands where the poor animals usually spent their days.

"At home in their beds, my dear," said Miss Kerr laughing, "and
that's where small people like you should be; it must be near ten
o'clock."

"Oh! not yet, not yet," cried the children; "we must stay and see
the last of the fireworks!"

"That is the last now, I'm sure," said Frank. "That thick yellow
light comes from the grand finale, which we cannot see--ha! there
goes another rocket. Hurrah! the whole thing is at an end."

"Very well, my dears, you must say good-night," said Miss Kerr;
"your poor little eyes are positively blinking with sleep, Bunny,
dear."

"No, they're not," said the little girl, "but they feel funny and
won't go quite straight."

"Are you getting a squint, then?" said Frank. "Come along, old lady,
a few hours' sleep will make them go straight enough;" and putting
one arm round Bunny and the other round Mervyn, he marched them off
to the nursery, where