as sitting on my side, you remember."

"I think she's perfectly beautiful!" declared Isobel, with
enthusiasm--"just like one of those expensive French dolls at the
stores. Did you see them drive away in the landau? I wonder where
they're staying, and if we shall ever meet them again?"

"Perhaps you may see her walking on the beach, or in church," suggested
Mrs. Stewart.

"I hope I shall. I wonder what her name is. Do you think she'd mind if I
were to ask her?"

"Perhaps her mother might not like it," replied Mrs. Stewart. "I'm
afraid it would hardly be polite."

"But I do so want to get to know her. I haven't any friends here, you
see, and I think she looks so nice."

"I'm sorry, dear, but I shouldn't care for you to try to scrape an
acquaintance with these people. We shall manage to have a very happy
time together, hunting for shells and sea-weeds. You must take me for a
friend instead."

"You're better than any friend!" said Isobel, squeezing her mother's
hand. "Of course I like being with you best, sweetest; only sometimes,
when you're reading or lying down, it _is_ nice to have somebody to talk
to. I won't ask her her name if you say I'd better not; but I hope I
shall see her again, if it's only just to look at her. Why, this is the
house--there's No. 4 over the doorway; and that must be Mrs. Jackson
standing in the front garden looking out for us. I think she ought to be
Mr. Binks's cousin; she's as fat and red in the face as he is."

"The place is very full, mum," said Mrs. Jackson, showing them to the
little back sitting-room, which, at August prices, was all Mrs. Stewart
had been able to afford. "I had three parties in yesterday askin' for
rooms, and could have let this small parlour twice over for double the
money but what I'd promised it to you. Not as I wanted to take 'em,
though, for they was all noisy lots as would have needed a deal of
waitin' on. I'd rather have quiet visitors like you and the young lady
here, as isn't always a-ringin' their bells and playin' on the pianer
till midnight, though I may be the loser by it. I'm short-handed now my
daughter Emma Jane's married, and not so quick at gettin' up and down
stairs as I used to be."

"I don't think you'll find we shall give more trouble than we can help,"
said Mrs. Stewart gently. "We seldom require much waiting on, and we
hope to be out most of the day."

"I'm only too glad to do all I can, mum, to make folks feel home-like,"
declared Mr