"I cannot understand what you mean, my dear; I must ask Mistress Halliburt to explain to me," said Miss Mary. "Ah, yes, do; she will tell you. But I remember that father found me on board the big ship, and brought me home in the boat, and mother took care of me, and Jacob used to walk with me every day till I was old enough to go out with mother." "But who is Jacob?" asked Miss Mary. "He is brother Jacob, and he is so kind, and he tries to teach me to read; but he does not know much about it himself, and I can now read as fast as he can." "Does your mother not teach you?" asked Miss Mary. "Not much, she has no time; but father on Sunday tells me stories from the Bible. He can read very well, though he sometimes stops to spell the words, just as I do. There is only the Bible and one book we have got at home." "Would you like, my little girl, to come up here and learn to read? My sister will teach you, and I think I can help, though I cannot see what is printed in a book." "Oh, yes, so much, if mother will let me," answered May. "I am sure I should remember all you tell me, and then I might teach Jacob to read better than he does now. Ah, here comes my mother." "You can go round the garden and look at the flowers while I talk to her." "Thank you, Miss Mary; I so love flowers. We have none near our cottage, for they would not grow on the sand," and May ran off, stopping like a gay butterfly, now before one flower, now before another, to admire its beauty and enjoy its fragrance. "If you can spare a few moments, Mistress Halliburt, I should like to learn from you more than I can understand from the account your little girl has been giving me of herself," said Miss Mary, as the dame approached her. "She has been talking about a wreck and being brought on shore by your husband. Is she not really your child?" "We love her as much as if she was, but she has been telling you the truth, Miss Mary," answered the dame. "We have been unable to gain any tidings of her friends, though we have done all we could to inquire for them, and though we are loth for her sake to bring her up as a fisherman's child, we would not part with her unless to those who could do better for her welfare." The dame then described how May had been brought from the wreck, and how, from the dress the little girl had on, and the locket round her neck, and more especially from her appearance, there could be no doubt that she was the child of gentlefolks. "From the tone of her voice and the account my sister gave of her, I feel sure that you are right, Mistress Halliburt," said Miss May. "If you can spare her to-day, I should like to keep her with me, and you can call or send for her when you have finished your rounds. I shall esteem it a favour if you will bring her up to-morrow morning, and let my sister see her, and if we can in the meantime think of anything to benefit the child, we will let you know."