"She isn't used to strangers, sir," said my husband.
"Then we won't be strangers," said he. "Look here!"—and he pulled a toy out of his pocket, a thing with legs, and when a string was pulled it whirled round, and the legs flew out like mad. He made Bessie pull the string, and soon she was laughing, and as pleased as anything. "You'd like to have it for your own, wouldn't you?" said he. "I meant to take it to my little sister, but I'll get something else for her, and you shall have this." Then he put the toy into Bessie's hand, and he looked up at Jervis in that frank easy way of his, and asked,—"Where are you all going?"
"Just for a day's pleasuring, sir, on the shore at Ermespoint," says my husband.
"Ermespoint! Why, that's my home,—only I haven't been there yet," says he.
He should call a place his home when he had not seen it; and I suppose we looked puzzled, for he went on to explain. His father was just made Rector there, and the family had gone down a week or two before; but the young gentleman himself had been staying with friends for the first few days of his holidays. So now he was on his way to "make acquaintance" with his new home.
"My father's name is Kingscote," says he—"The Rev. Philip Kingscote. And if you're down on the beach, I dare say I shall find you out by-and-by. I always go to the shore, one of the first things, when I am near the sea. Won't it be jolly to live there always?" says he.
[CHAPTER II.]
ON THE WAY.
MRS. MURCHISON'S STORY—(continued).
IT was funny how we seemed to get to know Master Bertram in the next hour. I can't help calling him "Master Bertram," though we did not know his name then. He talked away to the children, and gave them chocolate drops till I thought he'd make them ill; and then he talked to my husband, and he tried to make Miles talk too, but Miles was too shy. By-and-by I saw the white look come back round his mouth, and he didn't say anything, but just moved off into the corner, and went sound asleep with his head against the window.