th enthusiastic emphasis, that "the
mounseers were not such bad fellows after all!"

"Oh, John, John!" exclaimed Mrs Potter, about thirty hours after that,
as she stood gazing in wild delight at a magnificent cashmere shawl
which hung on her husband's arm, while Tommy was lost in admiration at
the sight of a splendid inlaid ivory work-box, "where ever got 'ee such
a helegant shawl?"

"From King Louis, of France, lass," said John, with a peculiar smile.

"Never!" said Mrs Potter, emphatically; and then she gave it forth as
one of her settled convictions, that, "Kings wasn't such fools as to go
makin' presents like that to poor working men."

However, John Potter, who had only just then presented himself before
the eyes of his astonished spouse, stoutly asserted that it was true;
and said that if she would set about getting something to eat, for he
was uncommonly hungry, and if Tommy would leave off opening his mouth
and eyes to such an unnecessary extent, he would tell them all about it.
So Mrs Potter was convinced, and, for once, had her "settled
convictions" unsettled; and the men returned to their work on the
Eddystone; and a man-of-war was sent to cruise in the neighbourhood to
guard them from misfortune in the future; and, finally, the Rudyerd
lighthouse was completed.

Its total height, from the lowest side to the top of the ball on the
lantern, was ninety-two feet, and its greatest diameter twenty-three
feet four inches. It took about three years to build, having been
commenced in 1706, the first light was put up in 1708, and the whole was
completed in 1709.

Teddy Maroon was one of the first keepers, but he soon left to take
charge of a lighthouse on the Irish coast. Thereupon John Potter made
application for the post. He was successful over many competitors, and
at last obtained the darling wish of his heart: he became principal
keeper; his surly comrade, Isaac Dorkin, strange to say, obtaining the
post of second keeper. Mrs Potter didn't like the change at first, as
a matter of course.

"But you'll come to like it, Martha," John would say when they referred
to the subject, "`Absence,' you know, `makes the heart grow fonder.'
We'll think all the more of each other when we meet during my spells
ashore, at the end of every two months."

Tommy also objected very much at first, but he could not alter his
father's intentions; so John Potter went off to the Eddystone rock, and
for a long time took charge