There was one silent witness of scenes like these, who laid them up deeply in her heart.  Mrs. Williams was not unobservant of the gradual but steady falling off in Eric’s character, and the first thing she noticed was the blunting of his home affections.  When they first came to Roslyn, the boy used constantly to join his father and mother in their walks; but now he went seldom or never; and even if he did go, he seemed ashamed, while with them, to meet any of his schoolfellows.  The spirit of false independence was awake and growing in her darling son.  The bright afternoons they had spent together on the sunny shore, or seeking for sea-flowers among the lonely rocks of the neighboring headlands,—­the walks at evening and sunset among the hills, and the sweet counsel they had together, when the boy’s character opened like a flower in the light and warmth of his mother’s love,—­the long twilights when he would sit on a stool with his young head resting on her knees, and her loving hand among his fair hair,—­all these things were becoming to Mrs. Williams memories, and nothing more.

It was the trial of her life, and very sad to bear; the more so because they were soon to be parted, certainly for years, perhaps for ever.  The time was drawing nearer and nearer; it was now June, and Mr. Williams’ term of furlough ended in two months.  The holidays at Roslyn were the months of July and August, and towards their close Mr. and Mrs. Williams intended to leave Vernon at Fairholm, and start for India—­sending back Eric by himself as a boarder in Dr. Rowlands’ house.

After morning school, on fine days, the boys used to run straight down to the shore and bathe.  A bright and joyous scene it was.  They stripped off their clothes on the shingle that adjoined the beach, and then running along the sands, would swim out far into the bay till their heads looked like small dots glancing in the sunshine.  This year Eric had learned to swim, and he enjoyed the bathing more than any other pleasure.

One day after they had dressed, Russell and he began to amuse themselves on the sea-shore.  The little translucent pools left on the sands by the ebbing tide always swarm with life, and the two boys found great fun in hunting audacious little crabs, or catching the shrimps that shuffled about in the shallow water.  At last Eric picked up a piece of wood which he found lying on the beach, and said, “What do you say to coming crabfishing, Edwin? this bit of stick will do capitally to thrust between the rocks in the holes where they lie?”

Russell agreed, and they started to the rocks of the Ness to seek a likely place for their purpose.  The Ness was a mile off, but in the excitement of their pleasure they were oblivious of time.

The Williams’, for the boys’ convenience, usually dined at one, but on this day they waited half an hour for Eric.  Since, however, he didn’t appear, they dined without him, supposing that he was accidentally detained, and expecting him to come in every minute.  But two o’clock came, and no Eric; half-past two, and no Eric; three, but still no Eric.  Mrs. Williams became seriously alarmed, and even her husband grew uneasy.