the touch. Tom promised to study up about it when he should begin his
winter studies, whereupon his mother said that if he would tell her what
he should learn about it she would write it out for the benefit of them
all.

The next morning they all started from the wharf at nine o'clock in the
miniature steamer, "Island Belle," for Wauwinet, a place seven miles
from the town. Miss Ray had become interested in the pretty Indian names
which she had heard, and was struck with this, which she learned was the
name of an old Indian chief who once controlled a large eastern part of
the island. In an hour they landed on the beach at Wauwinet. They found
it decorated with its rows of scallop-shells, some of which they
gathered as they walked along. Some of the party made use of this
still-water bathing, while others ran across the island, some three
hundred yards, to enjoy the surf-bathing there. Tom was delighted with
this novelty of two beaches, separated by such a narrow strip of land,
that he was continually going back and forth to try the water in both
places. He only wished that he could go up a little farther where he had
been told the land was only one hundred yards wide,--the narrowest part
of the island. After a shore dinner at the Wauwinet House, and another
stroll on the beaches, they started for the town on the yacht "Lilian,"
which twice a day went back and forth. The wind was unfavorable, so they
were obliged to go fourteen miles instead of seven, thus using two hours
instead of one for the sail. On their way they passed the places known
as Polpis, Quidnet, and Coatue. Mr. Gordon was so much impressed with
the advantages of Coatue that he noted the fact in his note-book; while
his wife became so much interested in the nautical expressions used that
she declared that she should get Bowditch's "Navigation," and see if she
could find those terms in it; she must know more of navigation than she
did. As they landed at the wharf they heard "Billy" Clarke crying out
that the New Bedford band would give a grand concert at Surf Side the
next day. Now, as this kind of music had been the chief thing which they
had missed among the pleasures of Nantucket, of course they must go and
hear it. So the next afternoon, at two o'clock, they were on the cars of
the narrow-gauge railroad, bound for the Surf-Side Hotel, which they
reached in fifteen minutes, passing on the way a station of the
life-saving service department. They spent