Then Bessie came to call them to supper, and soon after that Loveday, holding tight to her elephant, was sound asleep in her snow-white room; and Aaron, still hugging his monkey, was snoring contentedly under his gay patchwork quilt.
“A rare lot of wild beasts we’ve a-got in our little bit of a place to-night,” said John Lobb, with a hearty laugh. “’Tis lucky they b’ain’t given to bellowing, or we should be given notice to quit, I reckon!”
When Loveday awoke the next morning, the first thing she noticed was the curious dull roar of the sea. Then she opened her eyes and looked about her. The next moment she was out of bed, drawing back her white curtains to look out at the new, wonderful world without. There was little to see, though, from her window, for the cliff rose sheer up, and between the house and the cliff there was only a little bit of fenced-in ground. It was too close under the shadow of the cold rock for anything to grow in it, and the house, though it kept off the wind and the salt spray, also kept off the sun. To make up for this, John Lobb had a piece of garden ground at the top of the cliff, where he worked when he wasn’t out fishing.
But when Loveday looked out he was in the yard at the back, examining the nets that were spread on the palings to dry. A moment later, Aaron, still clasping his monkey, ran out and joined his father.
“Oh, Aaron is dressed!” thought Loveday. “I ought to be. Why didn’t Bessie call me?”
She put her head out of her bedroom door, and called:
“Bessie! Bessie! Please can I have my bath! I am sorry I am so late,” she added, as Bessie appeared with the bath and the water.
“It isn’t late, Miss Loveday,” said Bessie smilingly. “It has only this minute gone seven by my old clock, and that’s always galloping.”
“Only seven!” cried Loveday. “What are you all up so early for? Is anybody going away?”
“’Tisn’t early for us, miss. My husband is going out all day fishing, and he’s got to catch the tide.”