[Illustration: I'M COMING!]

There was a great hollow place in the cliff close to our house, down
which was the way to the beach, which we took with the least possible
delay. Then came the first delights of bathing, and when that was over,
the digging in the sand and hunting for shells, while baby took his
morning sleep on Susette's lap. By and by we went home to dinner, and
after that, to hemming and sewing and reading with the nurses. And
when early tea was over, it was cool enough for a fresh walk over the
hills, or away to the rocks farther off.

This was the way we spent four pleasant weeks, getting as rosy and
strong as any one could wish. Three or four times we were surprised in
our morning play on the beach by the welcome sight of Uncle Hugh. For,
every now and then, he would ride over to give grandmamma some news of
the children. This was a great delight, for it was sure to mean, first
of all, that there were letters from home for us all,--those foreign
sheets that Lottie loved to see, and the long crossed letters full of
mamma's love to me. And to us four elder ones, Harry and Lottie and
Alick and me, uncle's visit always meant a glorious afternoon in a boat
far out at sea. I hardly know whether Harry or Gus delighted most in the
prospect of these visits. The pleasure simply of holding the
"Capitaine's" horse was enough to make the French boy's eyes glisten and
his teeth shine with the broadest smile. And to Harry the delight of
handling an oar or managing a sail was beyond anything delicious.

But the visit which we had all most cause to remember was the last which
Uncle Hugh paid us. He was going away to London on business--business
which would soon end in another long voyage, the news of which brought a