"And you are right," replied her mother; "for Grace will know well how to appreciate the pains you must have taken to give her such a pleasure; and I, too, approve of the forethought you have discovered, which will make you one day a good housewife. Let your brothers fish and hunt; let it be your care to plant and ornament our solitude with your little smiling, blooming nook of earth." "But where is Grace?" asked John; "why is she not assisting you as usual, Mother?" "Because I refused to let her do so. She knows well that this day will be her festival, and I have sent her up stairs to her father, whilst we are here together preparing for her." "James and the two little ones are missing," said William. "Only James," replied his mother. "The two little ones are with Grace, who is giving them a lesson in reading. I do not see why James stays away so long; it is nightfall, and his father has always desired him to take care not to be overtaken by a fog far from the house." "Suppose I go after him," said William. "There he comes, there he comes!" cried John and Jenny. The boy came in, in truth, all out of breath. "I have just succeeded," said he, "in making up the dozen." As he said this, he put upon the table a dozen of wild eggs. "The last came near costing me very dear," said he; "it was laid half way down to the Black Man's; you know, William, the great rock which looks like a giant sitting down; I had climbed, on my knees, and I had only one more step to take, when a great big wave--a coward!--behind struck me, and would have carried me away if I had not clung with all my might to the great Black Man." "Foolish child," said the mother, "could you not foresee the return of the tide?" "Not at all, not at all. It came before the hour. There are enormous waves in the channel, and the sea growls as when it is going to be angry." "That will not prevent us from passing a merry evening," replied William; "come, let us go quickly to work." He hastened to set the table, and assist his sister in putting on the plates, while his mother broke the eggs, beat up the omelet, and drew out the cake from the oven. All was ready, and William rang the bell to call the father and Grace to supper, who usually remained in the upper part of the tower of the lighthouse.