sheep were raised
by the inhabitants, and this pond was one of the places where the sheep
were brought at a certain time of year to be washed and shorn. On
arriving at their destination, they found a long stretch of sandy beach,
with great thundering waves dashing upon it.

"Oh," cried Zoe and Betty, in delight, "it is like a bit of 'Sconset!"

"Look away yonder," said Lulu; "isn't that a fisherman's cart?"

"Yes," replied her father. "Suppose we go nearer and see what he is
doing."

"Oh, yes; do let us, papa!" cried Lulu, always ready to go everywhere
and see everything.

"You may run on with Max and Grace," he said; "some of us will follow
presently."

He turned and offered his arm to Violet. "It is heavy walking in this
deep sand; let me help you."

"Thank you; it is wearisome, and I am glad to have my husband's strong
arm to lean upon," she answered, smiling sweetly up into his eyes as she
accepted the offered aid.

The young girls and the children came running back to meet them. "He's
catching blue-fish," they announced; "he has a good many in his cart."

"Now, watch him, Mamma Vi; you haven't had a chance to see just such
fishing before," said Max. "See, he's whirling his drail; there! now he
has sent it far out into the water. Now he's hauling it in, and--oh yes,
a good big fish with it."

"What is a drail?" Violet asked.

"It is a hook with a long piece of lead above it covered with eel-skin,"
answered her husband.

"There it goes again!" she exclaimed. "It is a really interesting
sight, but rather hard work, I should think."

When tired of watching the fisherman, they wandered back and forth along
the beach in search of curiosities, picking up bits of sponge, rockweed,
seaweed, and a greater variety of shells than they had been able to find
on other parts of the shore which they had visited.

It was only when they had barely time enough left to reach home for a
late dinner that they were all willing to enter the carriages and be
driven away from the spot.

As they passed through the streets of the town, the crier was out with
his hand-bell.

"Oh yes! oh yes! all the windows to be taken out of the Athenaeum
to-day, and the Athenaeum to be elevated to-night."

After listening intently to several repetitions of the cry, they
succeeded in making it out.

"But what on earth does he mean?" exclaimed Betty.

"Ventilated, I presume," replied the captain. "There was an exhibition
there last ni