ons. Or is
it an Indian wigwam? I should be interested to know to what tribe it
belongs," said the colonel, advancing farther into the hut, and looking
with an amused smile at the sand seats, the shelves, the pots, and all
the other little arrangements which the children had made.

"No, I'm not an ancient Briton," said Isobel, "and it isn't a wigwam.
It's 'Wavelet Hall,' and it belongs to us."

"And who is 'us,' if you will condescend to explain so ambiguous a
term?"

"The United Sea Urchins' Recreation Society," said Isobel, rolling out
the name with some dignity.

"No doubt it's my crass ignorance," observed the colonel, "but I'm
afraid I have never heard of that distinguished order. Will you kindly
enlighten me as to its object and scope?"

"Why, you see, we're all staying at Silversands," explained Isobel; "so
we made ourselves into a club, that we might have fun together, and
called it the 'Sea Urchins.' Then we found this desert island that
doesn't belong to anybody, so we took possession of it, and built this
hut out of the wreck of the old schooner, and it's ours now."

"Is it?" said the colonel dryly. "I was under the impression that the
island belonged to me. It is certainly included among my title-deeds,
and as lord of the manor I am also supposed to have the rights of the
foreshore."

"I don't quite understand what 'lord of the manor' means," said Isobel;
"but does the island really and truly belong to you?"

"Really and truly. I keep it for rabbit shooting exclusively."

"Then," said Isobel apprehensively, "I'm very much afraid that we've
been trespassing on your land again."

"Not only trespassing, but squatting," returned the colonel, with a
twinkle in his eye. "The case is serious. This island has belonged to me
and to my ancestors for generations. I arrive here to-day to find it
occupied by a band of individuals who, I must say" (with a glance out
through the door at the barefooted Sea Urchins yelling in the distance
as they hauled up the dead porpoise), "bear a very strong resemblance to
a gang of pirates. I am frankly informed by one of their number that
they claim possession of my property. I find their flag flying and a
fortress erected. The question is whether I am at once to declare war
and evict these invaders, or to allow them to remain in the position of
vassals on payment of a due tribute."

"Oh, please let us stay!" implored Isobel; "we won't do any harm--we
won't, indeed. We're