ort, Trafford put his books away,
and rose from his chair, saying,--

"This once, Noll,--this once. One walk with me will suffice you, I
think. When shall we start?"

"Now,--at once, Uncle Richard!" said Noll, joyfully; "it's two o'clock
already, and the tide a long, long way out. Don't let's wait a minute
longer."

Trafford smiled a little at his nephew's eagerness, and taking his
hat, followed the boy to the piazza. It was a great change from the
half-gloom of the library, and the chilliness of the long, dark halls,
to the bright, sunny piazza, where the light fell so warm and broadly,
and from whence the blue and shining sea stretched far and wide and
vast.

Noll felt sure that Uncle Richard must notice it and rejoice, even
though it might be secretly. From east to west there were no clouds,
and nothing to hinder the sunbeams from finding the earth and working
wondrous charms on land and rock and sea. They stood for a few minutes
there, one of them, at least, enjoying the wide view very much, then
Noll said,--

"We'll go up the shore, if you'd as lief, Uncle Richard. It's much
pleasanter that way, I think."

"Very well," said Trafford, with an indifference which was not
encouraging, and they passed down the steps on to the sand. It was a
silent and uncomfortable walk for the first few rods, Trafford walking
with his head bowed upon his breast and looking only at the yellow
sand upon which he trod. He seemed to have no eyes for the calm and
gentle peace which had descended upon that afternoon, robbing the sea
of its terror and making it enchanting and lovely, and weaving a
mystic charm about the bare, bald Rock basking warm and purple under
the sun. Even the waves murmured only softly and soothingly and with
drowsy echoes, as they rippled in and out among the rocks and along
the sand. Fortunately for their pleasure, Noll picked up a curious
pebble before they had gone a great way. It was not an agate, nor was
it like the rounded pebbles of porphyry which the tide washed up, and
puzzling over this, and asking Uncle Richard, at last, to explain its
nature, somehow broke the heavy silence which had been between them,
and questions and pleasant talk came naturally enough after this.

Trafford lost his gloom and reserve, and followed after his nephew,
chatting and explaining strange matters of rock and sea, and stopping
now and then to pull over great bunches of freshly-stranded kelp to
help Noll se