and visit every known
and unknown island, and yet not find them. We must have patience and
simply trust in God's mercy to bring them back if He had thought fit to
save their lives."

When, however, not only month after month, but year after year went by,
and the young men did not make their appearance, even Alice began to
lose hope of seeing them. She spoke of them less frequently than
formerly, though a shadow of sadness occasionally crossed her fair brow,
but yet little had occurred to draw out the character of Alice Tufnell.
She was determined and energetic, zealous in all she undertook; at the
same time she was gentle and affectionate to those who had befriended
her, with her sweet and loving disposition and sweet temper. Her voice
was sweet and musical, and Madam Pauline and the Colonel delighted in
hearing her singing. She was now about seventeen, her figure of
moderate height, well rounded and graceful, while her countenance
exhibited the serene and joyous spirit which dwelt within. She
frequently accompanied the Colonel on a small pony, which had been
Roger's, on his walks about the country. Sometimes she attended Madam
Pauline, who, however, did not often extend her perambulations beyond
the grounds or the neighbouring village. Why it was she had scarcely
been able to say, but, when not engaged, Alice frequently made her way
across the Downs to the top of the cliff, sometimes descending to Ben
Rullock's cottage, not that she often found the old man at home, as he
was generally out fishing, or gone away to Lyme, or some other place on
the coast, to do commissions for the villages. Sometimes she would sit
in Roger's favourite nook, at others would pace up and down on the
cliffs, gazing out over the ocean, now blue and calm, and sparkling in
the sunlight, now of a leaden hue, covered with foaming seas which came
roaring up on the beach with a thundering sound. Of course she more
frequently came when the wind was light and the water calm, and she
could sit and gaze at them with satisfaction.

She had one day gone down to old Ben's cottage. Not finding him at
home, she had strolled along the beach till she turned with her face
towards Lyme, when she observed a boat slowly rowing along the shore.
That must be old Ben's, and he probably has Toby with him, and they
appear to have a passenger. It was curiosity perhaps which tempted her
to linger for the arrival of the old man, to hear the news from Lyme, as