o
had an interesting barometer in the shape of a shell-covered cottage
with two doors, from one of which a little soldier appeared when it was
going to be fine, while a nautical-looking gentleman in a blue jacket
came out to give warning of wet weather. Then there was the owner of the
pleasure boats, who had promised to take her for a row entirely free of
charge on the day before she was going home; and the bathing woman, who
always tried to keep for her the van with the blue stripes and the brass
hooks inside because she knew she liked it. The donkey boy had
christened the special favourite with the new harness "_her_ donkey,"
and made it go with unwonted speed even on the outward journey (as a
rule it galloped of its own accord when its nose was turned towards
home); and the blind harpist by the railway station had waxed quite
confidential on the subject of Scottish ballads, and had allowed her to
try his instrument.

As for the members of the Sea Urchins' Club, she felt as if she had
known them all her life, and the sayings and doings of the Chesters, the
Rokebys, the Wrights, and the Barringtons occupied a large part of her
conversation. Jolly as they were, none of them in Isobel's estimation
could compare with Belle Stuart, who from the first had claimed her as
her particular chum. The two managed to spend nearly the whole of every
day together, sometimes in company with the other children, or
sometimes alone on the beach, hunting for shells and sea anemones,
picking flowers, or just sitting talking in delicious idleness under the
shade of a rock, listening to the dash of the waves and the screams of
the sea gulls which were following the tide.

"I'm not generally allowed to make friends with any one whom we don't
know at home," Belle had confided frankly. "But mother said you looked
such a very nice lady-like little girl, she thought it wouldn't matter
just for this once. I told her your father had been an officer, and she
said of course that made a difference, but I really was to be careful,
and not pick up odd acquaintances upon the beach, for she doesn't want
me to talk to all sorts of people who aren't in our set of society, and
might be very awkward to get rid of afterwards."

Isobel did not reply. She would never have dreamt of explaining that it
was only due to her most urgent entreaties that she, on her part, had
been allowed to pursue the friendship. Mrs. Stewart, from somewhat
different motives, was q