g around for some time among the rocks and sand hills, they came
at length to a high ridge of pebble stones, which ran along the shore;
and surmounting this, they found the white beach spread out close before
them, while a long line of wave was just curling over and dashing into
foam upon the sand. They fastened the horses to some heavy pieces of
timber, the remains of a wreck, which lay up high upon the sand.

"O, what a wide beach!" said Rollo. The truth is, that when he saw the
beach from the hill, it looked like a mere line of sand, extending along
the shore. But now he found it was a broad and smooth area, gently
descending towards the water. It was firm, so that the children could
run about upon it. Rollo went down pretty near to the water's edge, and
amused himself by watching the surf. Each wave would recede after it
broke, and run off, leaving a broad piece of the beach dry; until, in a
moment more, another wave would come curling on, and break over the
retreating water of the former; and then it would rush up the sand, in a
broad and rapid stream, all along the shore, almost to Rollo's feet.

Rollo asked his father to let him take off his shoes and stockings; and
he did so. Rollo put each stocking into its shoe, to keep them dry, and
then laid them down upon the sand beyond the reach of the waves. Then he
would watch the waves, and whenever the water retreated, he would follow
it down until he met the new wave coming curling up at him, when he
would turn and run, the wave after him, to the shore; and when the wave
broke, it would throw the water all around his feet.

Lucy and Mary walked along the other shore at a greater distance,
looking for shells. They found a great many. Rollo could hear their
exclamations of delight at every new shell they found, and they were
continually calling upon him to come and get some too; but he was too
much occupied with the surf.

At length, Rollo's attention was excited by hearing Lucy call out,

"O Mary, Mary! I have found a piece of sponge."

Rollo turned around to look. He had just run up from the water, and was
standing beyond the reach of the surf, though the water which each wave,
as it broke, sent up upon the shore, played around his feet.

"How big is it?" said Rollo,

"About as big as my finger."

"Ho!" said Rollo; "that is not very big."

Just at this instant, a wave larger than usual burst just behind Rollo,
and it sent up a torrent of water all around hi