Agnes now began to gather sea-weed and pebbles, and she had soon collected a large quantity of both to put in her basket, which she had placed on the beach while she filled it; this she did most effectively, for several times when it appeared full she contrived by dint of shaking and pressing to make it hold a little more. At last, however, she seemed satisfied that her basket was full, and she attempted to lift it up and carry it after her mamma, who had now turned, and was walking slowly back towards the village. Mrs. Merton was absorbed in thought, and as her back was turned towards Agnes, she was quite unconscious of the trouble of the little girl, who was trying in vain with all the strength she could muster to raise the basket. But all her efforts were in vain, the basket was far too heavy for her; and after a powerful but useless struggle, fearing that her mamma would leave her behind, as she had already lost sight of her behind one of the projecting cliffs, poor Agnes uttered a cry so full of trouble and almost despair that her mamma came running back, terrified lest some dreadful accident had happened to her darling. When she found what was really the matter, she could scarcely help laughing at poor Agnes’s dilemma, and she put an end to it by emptying the contents of the basket on the beach, and helping Agnes to refill it with only a few of the stones and shells, and the lightest and prettiest of the sea-weed, with which they returned to the inn. CHAPTER IX. Sandown Bay.—Culver Cliff.—Sandown Fort.—High Flood.—Girl and Dog. —Poultry.—Hares.—Butterflies.—Ichneumon Fly.—Myrtles.—Brading. —Bembridge.—St. Helen’s.—Arrival at Ryde. The next morning was rather cooler than any day since the Mertons had been in the Isle of Wight; and Agnes felt the want of her little pink handkerchief round her neck. She did not like to complain, however, as she was aware it was entirely her own fault that the handkerchief had been lost; and so she bore the cold as well as she could, without saying a word about it. The road they were travelling commanded a beautiful view of Sandown Bay and Culver Cliff, on which last, Mr. Merton told Agnes, was formerly erected a beacon to warn the inhabitants when any danger was apprehended of an invasion from France, as this was the part of the Island that approached nearest to that country. “The Isle of Wight was once invaded by the French,” said Mrs. Merton, “but I believe it was in the reign of Henry V.” “It was invaded several times previously to that period,” said Mr. Merton, “and also, I believe, once or twice in the reign of Henry VI.; and it was to repel these invasions,” continued he, pointing to Sandown Fort, “that the fort we see before us was erected in the time of Charles I.; but we now trust to our shipping as our best protection. The only bed of coal that is worth working in the Isle of Wight, is in Culver Cliff.”