“But you’ll bathe to-day?”
“I shan’t!”
“Consider, cousin! It’s such a delightful sensation.”
“I hate it!”
“You’re jesting, Julia?”
“Well, I don’t mean that I dislike bathing—only in that crowd.”
“But there’s no exclusiveness on the beach.”
“I don’t care. I won’t go among them any more—on the beach, or elsewhere. If I could only bathe out yonder, in the deep blue water, or amid those white breakers we see! Ah! that would be a delightful sensation! I wonder if there’s any place where we could take a dip by ourselves?”
“There is; I know the very spot I discovered it the other day, when I was out with Keziah gathering shells. It’s down under the cliffs. There’s a sweet little cave, a perfect grotto, with a deepish pool in front, and smooth sandy bottom, white as silver. The cliff quite overhangs it. I’m sure no one could see us from above; especially if we go when the people are bathing. Then everybody would be at the beach, and we’d have the cliff shore to ourselves. For that matter, we can undress in the cave, without the chance of a creature seeing us. Keziah could keep watch outside. Say you’ll go, Julia?”
“Well, I don’t mind. But what about mamma? She’s such a terrible stickler for the proprieties. She may object.”