"There are a good many of us," remarked the captain, glancing about, "actually two dozen, counting all—big and little, old and young."
"And a very respectable-looking crowd it is," remarked Violet. "I'm not in the least ashamed of anyone in it. Yet it might be well to break up into several smaller parties, by the way of guarding against alarming our good neighbors, or making all the grown up ones keep to the slow pace of the very little folks. Ah, I see Evelyn, Rosie and Walter, Lu and Grace, are already on the wing."
"Yes," said the captain; "they have just started in response to a motion from me to move on. They will reach the beach probably some minutes ahead of us, but can be trusted not to get into any danger or mischief."
"Surely," laughed Violet. "Mamma, shall you and I walk together?"
"While I follow with the children," added the captain. "I see your grandpa and his wife are moving on ahead of us."
"Cousin Ronald should go next with his bonny bride, while we of this cottage bring up the rear with our children," said Molly.
"Putting a small space between to avoid being mistaken for a procession," added Mrs. Keith.
"Bound for Purgatory; but none of us to get inside, I trust," said Mr. Embury. "I hope the young folks won't attempt to climb up those rocks till we older ones get there to look after them."
"No, I think we'll find them on the beach," said the captain. "I bade mine wait there for me, and I can say—for mine, at least, that they love their father well enough to follow his directions carefully."