‘Let’s go down to the shore again,’ said Alie.  ’Mamma said perhaps she’d come out a little, and she’d never see us up here.’

Bridget hung back a little.

‘I daresay she won’t come out,’ she said.  ’Do stay up here, Alie.  If mamma comes out she’ll only talk to you and I’ll be all alone.  I don’t want her.’

’Oh, Bride, that’s not nice.  I’m sure mamma likes to talk to you too, only you see I’m older, and there’s often things you wouldn’t understand about perhaps, and——­’

’I know—­it’s always the same.  I’m too little to be any use.  I know you’re older and sensibler, and I don’t mean that mamma’s not kind.  But families should be settled better—­and—­oh, Alie, I have so torn my frock, and it’s my afternoon one—­my new merino.’

[Illustration:  ’—­and—­oh, Alie, I have so torn my frock, and its my afternoon one—­my new merino.’  P. 27.]

Rosalys looked much concerned.

‘What a pity!’ she exclaimed.  ’I wish we hadn’t played in the sand.  But really, Biddy, you are very unlucky.  I’ve been jumping just as much as you, and I’ve got no harm.’

‘You never do—­I don’t know how it is that I always get torn,’ said Bride dolefully.  ’And oh, Alie, there is mamma’—­they were down on the shore by this time, coming down being a much speedier affair than climbing up,—­’she will be so vexed, for I’ve got this frock new, extra to yours, you know, because of the stain on the other the day I spilt my tea all down it.  I am so sorry, Alie.  Could you pin it up?’

Rosalys stooped to examine the damage.  It was not very great, still under the circumstances of its being a new frock, it was vexing enough.

‘You’ve got it so sandy, too—­that makes it look worse,’ said the elder sister, giving the unlucky skirt a shake as she spoke.

‘I wish mamma hadn’t come out,’ said Bridget.  ’Then I could have got it brushed and mended before I told her, but perhaps it’s best to tell at once,’ and she gave a little sigh.

‘Much best,’ her sister agreed, and they went on to meet their mother.  Suddenly Bride gave a little cry of satisfaction.

‘Oh, Smut’s with mamma,’ she exclaimed.  ’I’m so glad.  You can walk with mamma alone then, Alie, and Smut and I will come after you.  I’m always quite happy with Smuttie—­I wish he was my very own.’

It was rather unlucky that just as they got up to Mrs. Vane, Bridget was so occupied in calling to Smut, who came careering forward to meet the girls, that the dilapidated frock went quite out of her mind.  At the first moment her mother did not notice it.

‘Well, dears, here I am!’ she began brightly.  ’I got my letters finished more quickly than I expected.  What a quantity of things there are to order when one first comes to a new house!  And I do so miss M’Creagh!  Did you see me coming, Alie darling?’

’Yes, mamma—­not very far off though.  We were up on the sand-hills when papa rang for Rough, and——­’