s `mermaids' purses.'
They once contained the egg of some young skate or shark, who, when he
was old enough, hatched himself, leaving his shell behind; and this
being elastic, like gutta-percha, closed up again, so that it cannot be
told how he got out."

"Dear me!" exclaimed Mrs Gilmour. "I've often wondered what those
things were, and never knew before."

"It's never too late, ma'am, to learn," said the Captain. "I myself
only took up natural history, gathering the little knowledge I possess,
after I was put on half-pay. Indeed, it was all owing to poor Ted, your
husband and my old shipmate, that I ever thought of reading at all. He
said it would be something for me to fall back upon for occupation when
the Admiralty shoved me on the shelf; and, by Jove, he was right!"

"Poor Ted!" sighed Mrs Gilmour somewhat sadly. "Poor old Ted!"

"Not `poor,' ma'am," said the Captain reverently, taking off his hat and
looking upwards as he had done before when calling the children's
attention to Him who taught the insects. "He's `rich' Ted, now; and
better off in his snug moorings aloft than you and I here below!"

"Yes, I know that, but it is hard to be content," replied the other,
appearing lost in thought for some moments; until presently, recovering
herself, she looked at her watch, when, seeing what time it was, she
said they must start back for home at once. "Come along, children,
time's up!"

"O-o-o-oh!" exclaimed Bob and Nellie in great consternation. "Why,
we've only just come!"

"O-o-o-oh!" mimicked their aunt, amused at their woebegone faces. "Do
you know that we've been down here nearly four hours! If we stop much
longer, you'll be `oh-ing' for your dinner, when it will be too late to
get any, and how would you like that?"

"Humph! I thought I was feeling a bit peckish," said the Captain,
wheeling about and preparing to head the return procession home,
accepting Mrs Gilmour's remarks as a command. "Come on, children,
we've got our sailing directions; so let us up anchor at once, for
you'll have plenty of the beach before you see the last of it. I tell
you what, though, I'll do for you if you are good."

"What, Captain?" cried Bob and Nellie, hanging on to his coat-tails as
he stumped over the shingle by the side of their aunt, the faces of all
now set homeward. "What?"

"Ah, you must wait till to-morrow!" was all that they could get out of
him, however, in spite of their wheedlings and coaxings