guilty of the meanness of listening
before," said Miss Watson, rather severely.

"I didn't listen," said Frank, rather sulkily.

"You can hear very plainly in the book closet, Miss Watson," said Celia.
"When I have put away the books sometimes, I have heard Ellen laying the
luncheon in the dining room from the store cupboard door being left
open. I am sure we should not listen on purpose, and I don't think Frank
could help hearing it, if Mamma spoke distinctly."

"It's very nice of you, Celia, to be always so ready to excuse your
brother," said Miss Watson, "and I _do_ believe Frank above such mean,
dishonest habits as that; and so I suppose I must overlook his
boisterous conduct this once, as the news he heard by accident seems so
exciting to you all."

"Oh, Miss Watson, don't you like the sea too?" enquired little Florry;
"it's so nice to stand on a heap of sand and let the waves come round
you."

"Well, Florry," replied Miss Watson, smiling, "there are many more
pleasant things at the seaside than getting your feet wet through; but I
suppose _you_ like letting the waves chase you!"

"Then there is the bathing," said Celia, delightedly; "I do so love a
dip in the cool, green salt water, and the dancing about in it, and
waiting for a great wave to come over one!"

"Girls ought to learn to swim!" said Frank, very sententiously. "Suppose
a big wave carried you out of your depth, and no one was near to fetch
you out again but the old Molly of a bathing woman!"

"I have not the least doubt in the world," said Miss Watson, "that you
will all enjoy your trip to Sandbay very much. But I think people should
_earn_ their holiday before they have it, or even waste much time
beforehand in planning how to spend it. We shall get no lessons at all
this morning if we are to be hindered like this, and the consequence
will be, Frank, that as so often is the case, you will spend your
playtime in going over them again."

"Suppose we all settle down steadily," suggested sensible Celia, "and
put the thoughts of the sea out of our minds till we have done. Look,
Miss Watson, it only wants a quarter to one, and we have finished all
but our copies!"

"There's the 'vexation' to be got through first, by me at any rate,"
said Frank, with a rueful air. "I wish the man who invented it had all
the 'three times' from one to twelve printed on him with a cat-o'-nine
tails, every time a fellow is forced to go through it!"

"When you are a