stopped short, and glancing back towards her sister, lifted her hand as if to tell her to be silent and listen. Then Mavis became conscious of the sound of voices speaking-not old Adam's voice certainly, for these sounded soft and clear, and now and then came a ripple of silvery laughter, very sweet and very delicate. The little girls, who had drawn near together, looked at each other.

'Who can it be?' said Mavis in a whisper. 'The mermaids,' replied Ruby mockingly. haps old Adam has invited them to tea.'

'Per

But as she spoke there came distinctly the sound of the words 'Good-bye, good-bye,' and then there was silence.

Somehow both children felt rather frightened.

'Suppose old Adam's really dead,' said Ruby, looking rather pale, and that these are-fairies, or I don't know what, come to fetch him.'

'Angels,' said Mavis. 'Joan says he's good. But-Ruby-I shouldn't think angels would laugh.'

She had scarcely said the words when they saw running down the rough slope from the hut the figure of a boy. He ran fast and lightly, his feet scarcely seeming to touch the stones; he was slight and very active-looking; it was pretty to

watch him running, even though as he came close it was plain that he was only a simple fisher-boy, in rough clothes, barefoot and sunburnt. He slackened his pace a little as he came near the children, then glancing at them with a smile he lifted his dark blue cap and stopped short.

'Can I?' he began, then hesitated. He had a pleasant face and clear gray eyes, which looked one straight in the face with interest and inquiry.

What do you say?' asked Ruby rather haughtily.

'I thought perhaps you had lost your way,' he answered quietly. 'There's not many gentry comes round here;' and then he smiled, for no very particular reason apparently, though his smile nevertheless gave one the feeling that he had a reason if he chose to give it.

'No, we haven't lost our way,' said Ruby; 'we came here on purpose. Do you know the old man who lives up there?' and she pointed to the hut. 'Is it true that there's something queer about him?' The boy looked at her, still smiling.

'Queer?' he repeated.

Ruby began to feel annoyed. She tapped her foot impatiently.

'Yes,' she said, 'queer. Why do you repeat my

words, and why don't you say "Miss," Miss," or or "My Lady?" Lots of the people here call me “My Lady." Do you know who I am?'

The boy's face had grown graver.

'Yes,' he said. 'You are the little ladies from the castle. I have seen you sometimes. I have seen you in church. We always call you the little ladies— grandfather and I-when we are talking. He has told me about you-and-I've heard about the castle, though I've never been in it. It's very fine. I like to look up at it from the sea.'

Ruby felt a little smoothed down. Her tone became more gracious. Mavis, who had drawn near, stood listening with great interest, and as the boy turned towards her the smile came over his face again.

'Who do you mean by "grandfather"?' asked Ruby eagerly. Is it old Adam? I didn't know he had any children or grandchildren.'

'Yes,' the boy replied, 'I'm his grandson. Was it grandfather you meant when you said he was queer?'

'Oh,' said Mavis, 'Ruby didn't mean to be rude. It was only nonsense.

People say

,

'They say he's very queer indeed,' said Ruby,