iced was the blunting of his home affections. When they first came to
Roslyn, the boy used constantly to join his father and mother in their
walks; but now he went seldom or never; and even if he did go, he seemed
ashamed, while with them, to meet any of his schoolfellows. The spirit
of false independence was awake and growing in her darling son. The
bright afternoons they had spent together on the sunny shore, or seeking
for sea-flowers among the lonely rocks of the neighboring
headlands,--the walks at evening and sunset among the hills, and the
sweet counsel they had together, when the boy's character opened like a
flower in the light and warmth of his mother's love,--the long twilights
when he would sit on a stool with his young head resting on her knees,
and her loving hand among his fair hair,--all these things were becoming
to Mrs. Williams memories, and nothing more.

It was the trial of her life, and very sad to bear; the more so because
they were soon to be parted, certainly for years, perhaps for ever. The
time was drawing nearer and nearer; it was now June, and Mr. Williams'
term of furlough ended in two months. The holidays at Roslyn were the
months of July and August, and towards their close Mr. and Mrs. Williams
intended to leave Vernon at Fairholm, and start for India--sending back
Eric by himself as a boarder in Dr. Rowlands' house.

After morning school, on fine days, the boys used to run straight down
to the shore and bathe. A bright and joyous scene it was. They stripped
off their clothes on the shingle that adjoined the beach, and then
running along the sands, would swim out far into the bay till their
heads looked like small dots glancing in the sunshine. This year Eric
had learned to swim, and he enjoyed the bathing more than any
other pleasure.

One day after they had dressed, Russell and he began to amuse themselves
on the sea-shore. The little translucent pools left on the sands by the
ebbing tide always swarm with life, and the two boys found great fun in
hunting audacious little crabs, or catching the shrimps that shuffled
about in the shallow water. At last Eric picked up a piece of wood which
he found lying on the beach, and said, "What do you say to coming
crabfishing, Edwin? this bit of stick will do capitally to thrust
between the rocks in the holes where they lie?"

Russell agreed, and they started to the rocks of the Ness to seek a
likely place for their purpose. The Ness was a mile