CHAPTER X.

THE TWO LITTLE FLAPPYS.

HERE they are! I see them!' cried Violet excitedly, as Edmund drew up her donkey-chair under the shade of a high rock, where she could have a good view of the sands.

'Who, darling?' asked her mamma.

'My little Flappys, mamma!'

'Who are your little Flappys?' asked mamma. 'Those two little girls down by the water, with large flapping hats. Mamma, I chose them for my own last night. I like their faces so.'

'I see,' said mamma; and she took out her work, and seated herself on the rock by Violet.

'I am going to hunt for sea treasures, Bud,' said Edmund, who had already been to the shop to buy her a little green bucket and a sand-basket.

He began clambering about the rocks, and presently cried, 'Oh, here is a splendid anemone.

I am sure it's

what they call a " Crass," such a thick horned creature, in this pool! O Bud! such a beauty! with rosecoloured eyes!'

'How can you get it?' asked Violet eagerly. 'I want to see it so!'

'I must try and take it up with the stone it is sticking on,' said Edmund; 'I was reading about these sea-flowers in the book I told you I had, called "Common Objects of the Sea-shore," and it says that if the anemone is hurt in being taken up, it will not live.'

'Oh do be careful!' cried Violet.

'An ivory paper-knife is a good thing,' said her mamma, 'if you cannot get away the piece of rock. There is one on the table indoors.'

Edmund ran in to fetch it, and soon succeeded in taking up the 'Crass,' which he placed gently on some pebbles in Violet's bucket.

'Now I must get a bit of live sea-weed, growing on a stone, and some sea-water, or it will die. The live sea-weed makes fresh air for it in the water-isn't that funny? I learnt all about the creatures while you were asleep, Bud, last night.'

'But I don't think this is so very beautiful,' said Violet, in rather a disappointed tone, as she gazed at the greenish flabby lump, something like a ripe fig, which lay at the bottom of her bucket.

'That is because it is all closed up,' said Edmund,

'They always do that when they are taken off the rock. It will open out again presently like a beautiful flower; and this one has a regular face in the middle-nose, mouth, and two red eyes.'

'How funny!' said Violet. 'This shall be another of my children, mamma, and I shall call her Rose.Look, mamma! my two little Flappys are coming this way with their mamma, or aunt, or governess, I wonder which, now! I think I shall say that she is their aunt. They are looking at me. I daresay they wonder why I am lying on this little carriage. There they come, nearer and nearer. I like the face of that little one, with the long pale hair. Look, mamma, the aunt is sitting down under that rock near us. She is saying, "My dears, go and play while I read, and don't disturb me." I am sure that is what she says, for they are going a little way from her. Oh, they are coming this way! how nice! now I shall hear what they call each other.'

Violet lay watching her little Flappys intently. The little Flappys looked wistfully at her, and drew nearer and nearer. The face of the smallest little Flappy looked full of pity. Presently the elder one said to her, in a low voice

'May, dear, we mustn't stare so. It's not kind.' 'You leave off first, and then I will,' was the answer, 'for you're the eldest.'

'Therefore I ought to have the longest look,' said

the other little Flappy, laughing. 'Let us come and climb on that rock, and perhaps we shall hear what the poor sick little girl's name is. I should like to know.' 'I wonder what is the matter with her!' said May. 'I wish I could give her all my shells.'

Violet lost sight of her little Flappys behind the rock. By and by she was startled by hearing one of them cry out, close to her

'O Gerty! I've found a hermit-crab!'

'Have you?' cried Gerty. 'Oh May dear, how nice! Let us run and show it to Aunt Emmie!'

'It is an aunt!' whispered Violet to her mamma, in delight. 'And their names are Gerty and May. How nice! What pretty names! I wish I could see a hermit-crab!' she added out loud.

Gerty and May heard these last words as they were getting down off the rock. They looked at one another

'Shall we?' whispered May.

'Let us ask Aunt Emmie first,' answered Gerty.

'They are gone to show their hermit-crab to their aunt,' said Violet. 'How kindly she looks at them! Now she nods her head. She is saying, "Yes, my dears, very pretty." Now they are coming back this way to find another hermit-crab, I suppose. Oh, look, mamma, I think they are coming to speak to me. They look so shy! My dear little Flappys!'

Gerty and May drew near, rather slowly and shyly,