t with him, and had handed me a plate
of buttered toast and a fresh-laid egg; when, looking up, I saw his
countenance suddenly change into that of Aunt Deb.

"Don't you wish you may get it?" he said. "Before you eat that, go on
deck and see what weather it is."

Of course I had to go, when to my astonishment I found the ship rolling
and pitching; the foam-covered seas tossing and roaring; the officers
shouting and bawling, ordering the men to take in sail. Presently there
came a crash, the masts went by the board, the seas dashed over the
ship, and I found myself tumbling about among the breakers, until it
seemed almost in an instant I was thrown on the beach, where I lay
unable to crawl out of the way of the angry waters, which threatened
every moment to carry me off again. In vain I tried to work my way up
the sands with my arms and legs. Presently down I came, to find myself
sprawling on the floor.

"What can have made all that row?" exclaimed Ned, starting up, awakened
by the noise of my falling out of bed.

"I thought I was shipwrecked," I answered.

"I'm glad you are not," said Ned. "So get into bed again, and if you
can go to sleep, dream of something else."

Feeling somewhat foolish, I did as he advised, but I had first to put my
bed-clothes to rights, for I had dragged them off with me to the floor.
It was no easy matter, although I was assisted by the pale light of
early morning, which came through the chinks of the shutters.

In a short time afterwards Ned again got up to go to his books, for he,
being somewhat delicate, was studying under our father, while I, who had
been sent to school, had just come home for the holidays. I had a
holiday task, but had no intention of troubling myself about it at
present. I was, therefore, somewhat puzzled to know what to do. While
I was dressing, it occurred to me that I would go over to Leighton Park
with my rod, to try the ponds, hoping to return with a basket of fish.
I might go there and get an hour's fishing, and be back again before
breakfast. I tried to persuade Ned to accompany me, but he preferred to
stick to his books.

"Much good may they do you," I answered, rather annoyed. "Why can't you
shut them up for once in a way. It's a beautiful morning, and by going
early we are sure to have plenty of sport, and you can learn your
lessons just as well after breakfast."

"Not if I had been out three or four hours fishing, and came home wet
and dirt