people who were caught there by
the tide, "in ordinary weather." Eyebright worried a little over that
word "ordinary," but the sun was shining outside, and she could see
its gleam through the lower waves; the water came in quietly, which
proved that there wasn't much wind; and altogether she concluded that
there couldn't be any thing extraordinary about this particular day. I
think she proved herself a brave little thing, and sensible, too, to
be able to reason this out as she did, and avoid useless fright; but,
for all her bravery, she couldn't help crying a little as she sat
there like a limpet among the rocks, and realized that the Oven door
was fast shut, and she couldn't get out for ever so many hours. All of
a sudden it came to her quite distinctly how foolish and rash it was
to have come there all alone, without permission from papa, or letting
anybody know of her intention. It was one comfort that papa at that
moment was in Malachi, and couldn't be anxious about her; but, "Oh
dear!" Eyebright thought, "how dreadfully he would feel if I never did
get out, and he came back and found me gone, and nobody could tell him
where I was. I'll never do such a bad, naughty thing again, never,--if
I ever do get out, that is--" she reflected, as the water climbed
higher and higher, and again she moved her seat to avoid it, still
with the sense of being a hunted thing which the sea was trying to
catch.

Her seat was now too far from the pools for her to note how the
anemones and snails were enjoying their twice-a-day visit from the
tide, how the petals quivered and widened, the weeds grew brighter,
and the fish darted about with renewed life and vigor. I don't believe
it would have been much comfort to her if she had seen them. Fishes
are unfriendly creatures; they never seem to care any thing about
human beings, or whether they are feeling glad or sorry. Genevieve,
for all her being made of wax, was much more satisfactory. What was
particularly nice, she lent Eyebright her blanket-shawl to wear, for
the cave had begun to feel very chilly. The shawl was not large, but
it was better than nothing; and with this round her shoulders, and
Dolly cuddled in her arms, she sat on the very highest ledge of all
and watched the water rise. She couldn't go any higher, so she hoped
_it_ couldn't, either; and as she sat, she sang all the songs and
hymns she knew, to keep her spirits up,--"Out on an Ocean," "Shining
Shore" (how she wished he