“Do come out, mother, it’s perfectly splendid on the beach!  I’ve found a nice place for Jill to sit, and it’s only a step.  Lots of capital fellows here; one has a bicycle, and is going to teach us to ride.  No end of fun up at the hotel, and every one seems glad to see us.  Two ladies asked about Jill, and one of the girls has got some shells all ready for her, Gerty Somebody, and her mother is so pretty and jolly, I like her ever so much.  They sit at our table, and Wally is the boy, younger than I am, but very pleasant.  Bacon is the fellow in knickerbockers; just wish you could see what stout legs he’s got!  Cox is the chap for me, though:  we are going fishing to-morrow.  He’s got a sweet-looking mother, and a sister for you, Jill.  Now, then, do come on, I’ll take the traps.”

Off they went, and Jill thought that very short walk to the shore the most delightful she ever took; for people smiled at the little invalid as she went slowly by leaning on Mrs. Minot’s arm, while Jack pranced in front, doing the honors, as if he owned the whole Atlantic.  A new world opened to her eyes as they came out upon the pebbly beach full of people enjoying their afternoon promenade.  Jill save one rapturous “Oh!” and then sat on her stool, forgetting everything but the beautiful blue ocean rolling away to meet the sky, with nothing to break the wide expanse but a sail here and there, a point of rocks on one hand, the little pier on the other, and white gulls skimming by on their wide wings.

While she sat enjoying herself, Jack showed his mother the place he had found, and a very nice one it was.  Just under the green bank lay an old boat propped up with some big stones.  A willow drooped over it, the tide rippled up within a few yards of it, and a fine view of the waves could be seen as they dashed over the rocks at the point.

“Isn’t it a good cubby-house?  Ben Cox and I fixed it for Jill, and she can have it for hers.  Put her cushions and things there on the sand the children have thrown in—­that will make it soft; then these seats will do for tables; and up in the bow I’m going to have that old rusty tin boiler full of salt-water, so she can put seaweed and crabs and all sorts of chaps in it for an aquarium, you know,” explained Jack, greatly interested in establishing his family comfortably before he left them.

“There couldn’t be a nicer place, and it is very kind of you to get it ready.  Spread the shawls and settle Jill, then you needn’t think of us any more, but go and scramble with Frank.  I see him over there with his spy-glass and some pleasant-looking boys,” said Mamma, bustling about in great spirits.

So the red cushions were placed, the plaids laid, and the little work-basket set upon the seat, all ready for Jill, who was charmed with her nest, and cuddled down under the big parasol, declaring she would keep house there every day.

Even the old boiler pleased her, and Jack raced over the beach to begin his search for inhabitants for the new aquarium, leaving Jill to make friends with some pretty babies digging in the sand, while Mamma sat on the camp-stool and talked with a friend from Harmony Village.