nd she kept running first to one side
and then to another, to gather flowers or pick up stones, to I took her
in my arms and carried her.

'Is that your little sister?' asked the old gentleman.

'No, sir,' I said; 'this is the little girl who was on board the
_Victory_!

'Dear me! dear me!' said both gentlemen at once. 'Let me look at her,'
said the old man, arranging his spectacles.

But Timpey was frightened, and clung to me, and began to cry. 'Never
mind, never mind,' said the old gentleman kindly; 'we'll make friends
with one another by-and-by.'

By this time we had reached the house, and the middle-aged gentleman
introduced himself as Mr. Septimus Forster, one of the owners of the
lost vessel, and said that he and his father-in-law, Mr. Davis, had come
to hear all particulars that my grandfather could give them with regard
to the shipwreck.

My grandfather begged them to sit down, and told me to prepare
breakfast for them at once. They were very pleasant gentlemen, both of
them, and were very kind to my grandfather. Mr. Forster wanted to make
him a handsome present for what he had done; but my grandfather would
not take it. They talked much of little Timpey, and I kept stopping to
listen as I was setting out the cups and saucers. They had heard nothing
more of her relations; and they said it was a very strange thing that no
such name as Villiers was to be found on the list of passengers on
board. They offered to take her away with them till some relation was
found; but my grandfather begged to keep her. The gentlemen, seeing how
happy and well cared for the child was, gladly consented.

After breakfast Mr. Forster said he should like to see the lighthouse,
so my grandfather went up to the top of the tower with him, and showed
him with great pride all that was to be seen there. Old Mr. Davis was
tired, and stayed behind with little Timpey and me.

'This is a strong house, my lad,' he said, when the others had gone.

'Yes, sir,' I said, 'it ought to be strong; the wind is fearful here
sometimes.'

'What sort of a foundation has it?' said the old man, tapping the floor
with his stick.

'Oh, it's all rock, sir,' I answered, 'solid rock; our house and the
lighthouse tower are all built into the rock; they would never stand if
they weren't'

'And are _you_ on the Rock, my lad?' said Mr. Davis, looking at me
through his spectacles.

'I beg your pardon, sir,' I said, for I thought I had not heard him
righ