Mrs. Arundel smiled. "I thought for the first day that you would have excitement enough, so by-and-by we will see about it."
"And may we bathe?" asked Netta; including, as she always did, her beloved companion Isabel.
"Yes, with Nellie; and I shall sit on the beach and watch you, and see what brave little girls I have."
The moment breakfast and prayers were done, there was a general rush for hats and jackets. Long before Mrs. Arundel could be ready, Arthur, Ada, Isabel, and Netta were off down the lane; and Nellie was almost as anxious as they to get off. But she waited first to help to get Tom ready, and place him in his little carriage; and then, while the nurse put on her hat, she amused the little ones and held the baby.
At last they were all ready to start. Mrs. Arundel had spoken to Mrs. Ross about the dinner, and now came out, followed by Simmons, who would push little Tom, and take it in turns with the nurse to carry the baby, while for a change, Tom often asked them to set him by his side and give him a ride too.
The nursery party went down the hill more quickly than Nellie and Mrs. Arundel cared to go, and were established on the sands when they arrived. Arthur soon spied them, for he had been on the watch, and now rushed up with a face full of eagerness.
"Here you are!" he exclaimed, opening out his mother's beach chair, and longing to see her established.
But his mother was not ready yet. She went first to little Tom's side and fixed up a sort of parasol shade over him, and then put him so that he could see as much as possible without raising his head more than was permitted.
He smiled gratefully as the shade came over his face.
"You can see pretty well now, darling?" she said, putting her face down to the level of his.