going," she said.

"Very well; we jolly well prefer your room to your company," said
Tom.--"Come on, Dick."

Susie was sitting on the ruins of the castle, with her knees drawn up and
her elbows planted on them. She really was not listening to Tom a bit,
for her fascinated eyes were fixed on the line of silver sea, on which
the passing steamers rose and fell. Far away at the back of her mind was
the consciousness that Tom was going to be naughty, and that she might
prevent it; but she pushed her fingers into her ears, and gazed straight
before her.

It was Amy tugging at her dress that made her turn reluctantly at last.

"Tom is calling you, Susie," she said.

"Oh, bother!" said Susie. "You can go and see what he wants."

Amy obediently struggled over the heavy sand to the fine strip of pebbles
on which the boys were disporting themselves. Their boots were wet
through; their shrill voices pierced Susie's poor defences.

"Susie--Susie--Susie!"

But Susie did not move.

All the same, she knew perfectly well that Amy was struggling back over
the shingle and the sand, and had dropped panting at her feet, quite
unable to speak for want of breath. Her little delicate face was pink