s cruel."

"Not always, miss. If you could see it--as I often do--all blue under the
sun, and shimmering like--like your hair, miss, if I may be so bold, and
with the gulls wheeling about, and dipping down into it--why, miss, you'd
say the sea was beautiful--that's it--just beautiful."

"Oh, but it's so often the other way--terrible--hideous!" murmured Belle,
who seemed strangely affected.

"No, miss, begging your pardon. Even in a storm I love the sea. It it's
just grand, miss!"

"Well, I'm glad you can think so. I can't. It makes me--shiver!" and a fit
of trembling seized her.

The girls walked on. Some refuse--bits of wood and part of the cargo from
the wreck--was coming ashore. The girls continued on down the strand, now
and then venturing too close to the water, and being compelled to run back
when a higher wave than usual rushed up the shingle.

"I wonder if we couldn't go out in the boat?" spoke Cora at length.

"Don't you dare suggest such a thing--to me!" cried Belle. "I'll never go
out again--after that terrible wreck!"

"But I don't mean out on the ocean," said Cora. "I mean just around the
cove. It isn't at all rough there, and you won't mind it a bit."

"Do come!" begged Eline.

"There isn't a bit of danger," urged Bess. "Why, you've often been out
when there was more sea than this."

"But not so soon after a wreck."

"What has that to do with it?" Cora wanted to know. "The wreck is over.
It wasn't a bad one, except that the ship was lost. All the people were
saved. I think it was wonderful."

"All but that poor girl," murmured Belle.

"Well, we can't even be sure there was such a person," remarked Eline.
"It was only a rumor, and really, Rosalie said the captain could account
for everyone."

"You never can tell when there are a number of people," supplemented Cora.
"Perhaps this girl had her name down on the list, and, after all, did
not go. Then, when she was looked for, and not found, they jumped to the
conclusion that she had gone overboard. I've often read of such cases."

"So have I," declared Bess. "Come on, Belle. Let's go for a ride. It will
do us all good."

"Oh, well, I don't want to be a spoil-sport I'll go; but, Cora, dear, you
must take along a couple of life preservers."

"A dozen if you like, Belle."

"And you'll promise not to go outside the bay--you'll stay where it's
calm?"

"I promise!" exclaimed Cora, raising her right hand.

Rosalie came out of the lighthouse