Most of them spoke admiringly of it, but Zoe said, "It's pretty enough,
but too much of a town for me. I'm glad we are not to stay in it.
'Sconset is a smaller place, isn't it, captain?"

"Much smaller," he answered; "quite small enough to suit even so great a
lover of solitude as yourself, Mrs. Travilla."

"Oh, you needn't laugh at me," she retorted; "one needn't be a great
lover of solitude to care for no more society than is afforded by this
crowd. But I want to be close by the bounding sea, and this town is shut
off from that by its harbor."

"Where is the harbor, papa?" asked little Grace.

"All around us, my child; we are in it."

"Are we?" she asked, "I think it looks just like the sea; what's the
matter with it, Aunt Zoe?"

"Nothing, only it's too quiet; the great waves don't come rolling in and
breaking along the shore. I heard your father say so; it's here they
have the still bathing."

"Oh, yes, and papa is going to teach us to swim!" exclaimed Lulu; "I'm
so glad, for I like to learn how to do everything."

"That's right," her father said, with an approving smile; "learn all
you can, for 'knowledge is power.'"