"But how kind of Jenny," said Edith, "how thoughtful for Muff!"

"No, Miss, 't aint for Muff exactly," said Joe, "though she pitied you,
as they all did, in thinking of drowning the cat; but bless the dear
children, they are all trying in their way, I do believe; to please
their mother, and to win her to be more happy and gentle like. You see
she has had a hard struggle with them, so many as there are, and so
little to do with; and that and bad health have soured her temper like;
but she'll come to. Oh Miss Edith, take my word for it, if ever you have
to live where folks are cross and snappish, be _you_ good-humoured. A
little of the leaven of sweetness and good temper lightens a whole lump
of crossness and bad humour. One bright Spirit in a family will keep
the sun shining in _one_ spot; it can't then be _all_ dark, you see, and
if there's ever such a little spot of sunshine, there must be some light
in the house, which may spread before long, Miss."

"Goodnight, Joe," and "Good night, ladies," passed, and the friends were
left alone--alone upon the quiet beach. The sun had set, for it was
late; the tide was ebbing, and now left the girls a beautiful smooth
path of sand for some little distance, on which the sound of their light
steps was scarcely heard, as they rapidly walked towards home.

"Who would think, Edith, that our six weeks' holiday would be at an end
to-morrow?" said Emilie.

"I don't know, Emilie, I feel it much longer."

"_Do_ you? then you have not been so happy as I hoped to have made you,
dear; I have been a great deal occupied with other things, but it could
scarcely be helped."