it a dull gray.

"What a deserted spot this seems!" remarked Zoe, "and only the other day
it was gay with crowds of people. Nobody to be seen now but ourselves,"
glancing up and down the coast as she spoke. "Ah, yes! yonder is someone
sitting on that piece of wreck."

"It is Lulu Raymond," Edward said, following the direction of her glance.
"It is late for the child to be out so far from home; a full mile I should
say. I'll go and invite her to walk back with us."

"No, you needn't," said Zoe, "for see, there is her father going to her.
But let us go home, for I must change my dress before tea."

"And we want time to walk leisurely along," returned Edward, rising and
giving her his hand to help her up the steps.

Lulu was reading, so absorbed in the story that she did not perceive her
father's approach, and as he accosted her with, "It is late for you to be
here alone, my child, you should have come in an hour ago," she gave a
great start, and involuntarily tried to hide her book.

"What have you there? Evidently something you do not wish your father to
see," he said, bending down and taking it from her unwilling hand.

"Ah, I don't wonder!" as he hurriedly turned over a few pages. "A dime
novel! Where did you get this, Lulu?"

"It's Max's, papa, he lent it to me. O papa, what made you do that?" as
with an energetic fling the captain suddenly sent it far out into the sea.