buttoning the stout boots when Jack thundered at
the door, and burst in with all sorts of glorious news.

"Do come out, mother, it's perfectly splendid on the beach! I've found
a nice place for Jill to sit, and it's only a step. Lots of capital
fellows here; one has a bicycle, and is going to teach us to ride. No
end of fun up at the hotel, and every one seems glad to see us. Two
ladies asked about Jill, and one of the girls has got some shells all
ready for her, Gerty Somebody, and her mother is so pretty and jolly,
I like her ever so much. They sit at our table, and Wally is the
boy, younger than I am, but very pleasant. Bacon is the fellow in
knickerbockers; just wish you could see what stout legs he's got! Cox
is the chap for me, though: we are going fishing to-morrow. He's got a
sweet-looking mother, and a sister for you, Jill. Now, then, _do_ come
on, I'll take the traps."

Off they went, and Jill thought that very short walk to the shore the
most delightful she ever took; for people smiled at the little invalid
as she went slowly by leaning on Mrs. Minot's arm, while Jack pranced in
front, doing the honors, as if he owned the whole Atlantic. A new world
opened to her eyes as they came out upon the pebbly beach full of people
enjoying their afternoon promenade. Jill save one rapturous "Oh!" and
then sat on her stool, forgetting everything but the beautiful blue
ocean rolling away to meet the sky, with nothing to break the wide
expanse but a sail here and there, a point of rocks on one hand, the
little pier on the other, and white gulls skimming by on their wide
wings.

While she sat enjoying herself, Jack showed his mother the place he had
found, and a very nice one it was. Just under the green bank lay an old
boat propped up with some big stones. A willow drooped over it, the tide
rippled up within a few yards of it, and a fine view of the waves could
be seen as they dashed over the rocks at the point.

"Isn't it a good cubby-house? Ben Cox and I fixed it for Jill, and she
can have it for hers. Put her cushions and things there on the sand the
children have thrown in--that will make it soft; then these seats will
do for tables; and up in the bow I'm going to have that old rusty tin
boiler full of salt-water, so she can put seaweed and crabs and all
sorts of chaps in it for an aquarium, you know," explained Jack, greatly
interested in establishing his family comfortably before he left them.

"There couldn't