that of thewater and the wild birds. And by and by the silence, and the broadfreedom of nature, and the sweet freshness of the life-giving breeze, began to take effect upon the watcher. She drank in the air in deepbreaths; she watched with growing enjoyment the play of light andcolour which offered such an endless variety; she let slip, softly andinsensibly, every thought and consideration which had any sort of careattached to it; her heart grew light, as her lungs took in the saltbreath, which had upon her somewhat the effect of champagne. Lois wasat no time a very heavy-hearted person; and I lack a similitude whichshould fitly image the elastic bound her spirits made now. She neverstirred from her seat, till it suddenly came into her head to rememberthat there might be dinner or supper in prospect somewhere. She rosethen and made her way back to the hotel, where she found Mrs. Wishartjust arousing from her sleep.
"Well, Lois" said the lady, with the sleep still in her voice, "wherehave you been? and what have you got? and what sort of a place have wecome to?"
"Look at that, Mrs. Wishart!"
"What's that? A white violet! Violets here, on these rocks?"
"Did you ever see such a white violet? Look at the size of it, andthe colour of it. And here's pimpernel. And O, Mrs. Wishart, I am soglad we came here, that I don't know what to do! It is just delightful.The air is the best air I ever saw."
"Can you see it, my dear? Well, I am glad you are pleased. What'sthat bell for, dinner or supper? I suppose all the meals here arealike. Let us go down and see."
Lois had an excellent appetite.
"This fish is very good, Mrs. Wishart."
"O my dear, it is just fish! You are in a mood to glorify everything. Iam envious of you, Lois."
"But it is really capital; it is so fresh. I don't believe you can getsuch blue fish in New York."
"My dear, it is your good appetite. I wish I was as hungry, foranything, as you are."
"Is it Mrs. Wishart?" asked a lady who sat opposite them at the table.
She spoke politely, with an accent of hope and expectation. Mrs.
Wishart acknowledged the identity.
"I am very happy to meet you. I was afraid I might find absolutely noone here that I knew. I was saying only the other day – three days ago; this is Friday, isn't it? yes; it was last Tuesday. I was saying to mysister after our early dinner – we always have early dinner at home, andit comes quite natural here – we were sitting together after dinner, andtalking about my coming. I have been meaning to come ever since threeyears ago; wanting to make this trip, and never could get away, untilthis summer things opened out to let me. I was saying to Lottie I wasafraid I should find nobody here that I could speak to; and when I sawyou, I said to myself, Can that be Mrs. Wishart? – I am so very glad.You have just come?"
"To-day," – Mrs. Wishart assented.
"Came by water?"
"From Portsmouth."
"Yes – ha, ha!" said the affable lady. "Of course. You could not wellhelp it. But from New York?"
"By railway. I had occasion to come by land."
"I prefer it always. In a steamer you never know what will happen toyou. If it's good weather, you may have a pleasant time; but you nevercan tell. I took the steamer once to go to Boston – I mean toStonington, you know; and the boat was so loaded with freight of somesort or other that she was as low down in the water as she could be andbe safe; and I didn't think she was safe. And we went so slowly! andthen we had a storm, a regular thunderstorm and squall, and the rainpoured in torrents, and the Sound was rough, and people were sick, andI was very glad and thankful when we got to Stonington. I thought itwould never be for pleasure that I would take a boat again."
"The Fall River boats are the best."
"I daresay they are, but I hope to be allowed to keep clear of themall. You had a pleasant morning for the trip over from Portsmouth."
"Very pleasant."
"It is such a gain to have the sea quiet! It roars and beats hereenough in the best of times. I am sure I hope there will not a stormcome while we are here; for I should think it must be dreadfullydreary. It's all sea here, you know."
"I should like to see what a storm here is like," Lois remarked.
"O, don't wish that!" cried the lady, "or your wish may bring it. Don'tthink me a heathen," she added, laughing; "but I have known such queerthings. I must tell you – "
"You never knew a wish bring fair weather?" said Lois, smiling, as thelady stopped for a mouthful of omelet.
"O no, not fair weather; I am sure, if it did, we should have fairweather a great deal more than we do. But I was speaking of a storm, and I must tell you what I have seen. – These fish are very deliciouslycooked!"
"They understand fish, I suppose, here," said Lois.
"We were going down the bay to escort some friends who were going toEurope. There was my cousin Llewellyn and his wife, and her sister, andone or two others in the party; and Lottie and I went to see them off.I always think it's rather a foolish thing to do, for why shouldn't onesay good-bye at the water's edge, when they go on board, instead ofmaking a journey of miles out to sea to say it there? – but this timeLottie wanted to go. She had never seen the ocean, except from theland; and you know that is very different; so we went. Lottie alwayslikes to see all she can, and is never satisfied till she has got tothe bottom of everything – "
"She would be satisfied with something less than that in this case?"said Lois.
"Hey? She was satisfied," said the lady, not apparently catching Lois'smeaning; "she was more delighted with the sea than I was; for though itwas quiet, they said, there was unquietness enough to make a good dealof motion; the vessel went sailing up and down a succession of smallrolling hills, and I began to think there was nothing steady inside ofme, any more than _out_side. I never can bear to be rocked, in anyshape or form."
"You must have been a troublesome baby," said Lois.
"I don't know how that was; naturally I have forgotten; but since Ihave been old enough to think for myself, I never could bearrocking-chairs. I like an easy-chair – as easy as you please – but I wantit to stand firm upon its four legs. So I did not enjoy the water quiteas well as my sister did. But she grew enthusiastic; she wished she wasgoing all the way over, and I told her she would have to drop me atsome wayside station – "
"Where?" said Lois, as the lady stopped to carry her coffee cup to herlips. The question seemed not to have been heard.
"Lottie wished she could see the ocean in a mood not quite so quiet; she wished for a storm; she said she wished a little storm would get upbefore we got home, that she might see how the waves looked. I beggedand prayed her not to say so, for our wishes often fulfil themselves.Isn't it extraordinary how they do? Haven't you often observed it, Mrs.Wishart?"
"In cases where wishes could take effect," returned that lady. "In thecase of the elements, I do not see how they could do that."
"But I don't know how it is," said the other; "I have observed it sooften."
"You call me by name," Mrs. Wishart went on rather hastily; "and I havebeen trying in vain to recall yours. If I had met you anywhere else, ofcourse I should be at no loss; but at the Isles of Shoals one expectsto see nobody, and
