sharp circle of shade, out of which her cheerful eyes shone darkly and her happy mouth smiled whitely,--these are some of the hastily noted points of the picture. "Young woman," I cried out, over the water, "I do wish you might know how pretty you look!" "How do you know I don't?" she answered. "I should think I might. You don't look so badly, yourself. But it's not I; it's the accessories." "Hang it! I am going to become profane," I called out again. "Swear ahead," said the Captain. "I am going to say you are devilish pretty." "Dear me! is that all?" cried Miss Blunt, with a little light laugh, which must have made the tutelar sirens of the cove ready to die with jealousy down in their submarine bowers. By the time the Captain and I had landed our effects, our companion had tripped lightly up the forehead of the cliff--in one place it is very retreating--and disappeared over its crown. She soon reappeared with an intensely white handkerchief added to her other provocations, which she waved to us, as we trudged upward, carrying our baskets. When we stopped to take breath on the summit, and wipe our foreheads, we, of course, rebuked her who was roaming about idly with her parasol and gloves. "Do you think I am going to take any trouble or do any work?" cried Miss Esther, in the greatest good-humor. "Is not this my holiday? I am not going to raise a finger, nor soil these beautiful gloves, for which I paid a dollar at Mr. Dawson's in Cragthrope. After you have found a shady place for your provisions, I would like you to look for a spring. I am very thirsty." "Find the spring yourself, Miss," said her father. "Mr. Locksley and I have a spring in this basket. Take a pull, sir." And the Captain drew forth a stout black bottle. "Give me a cup, and I will look for some water," said Miss Blunt. "Only I'm so afraid of the snakes! If you hear a scream, you may know it's a snake." "Screaming snakes!" said I; "that's a new species."