But all these interesting particulars were not as yet known to Mr.
Vane's children. They had arrived at Seacove Rectory only the night
before.

The boy--he was next in age to his elder sister Rosalys--followed the
direction of her glance.

'No,' he said, 'there's very few trees, certainly. But I think it's
going to be very jolly all the same. When I get my pony _I'll_ be all
right any way; and on Saturdays, or odd half-holidays--there always are
odd half-holidays at every school, you know--I'll take you girls out a
drive in that funny little donkey-chaise, or whatever it is, that's
standing in the coach-house.'

'I don't fancy there are many places to drive to,' Rosalys replied.
'Papa said there would be no use in having any sort of proper carriage.
The only good road is the one to your school, Rough, and you'll have
enough of that morning and evening.'

'Papa said Seacove was a--I can't remember the word--something
French--cool--cul----'

'_Cul-de-sac_,' said Rosalys; 'leading to nowhere, that means.'

'Except to the sea, I suppose,' added the little girl who had stumbled
at the French word. 'It would be nice to have a ship of our own instead
of a carriage. Don't you think we might ask papa to get us one?'

'A _ship_, Biddy--I suppose you mean a boat,' said Rosalys, in a rather
'superior' tone. 'No; I don't fancy papa would trust us to go about in a