The Washington herald., 1907-12-06
CHAPTER XXXII.
The rides of Rough Island.

Six days later ola Dick Finnan had set
tied his household gods, including the
goddess. in a :rim little cottage looking
out on Rough Island. whose iow-linteled
doors and square windows afforded neat
and commodious views OF Wolf Skerry
lighthouse. Billy Bryan had had his eye
on this particular "bit hoosie'' for a long
time He had made offer after offer 70
purchase. but there were 'sea-batherS.
as the country folk called summer vis-
itOrs, in the land. and the price had risen
At last however, Billy had closed-just
in time 70 tenant his new possession with
Vida and Dick. I daresay Dick might
have remained on AT his Kirktown post
but Vida was far too sti1 and proud. II
| Dick would not come with her she would
go alone. And Dick Finnan went to tell
the truth. not very 10th. He was weary
/ ing for the grit O3 the sand and the
trample of the pebbles for clean salt air
20 breathe. and for the clean green sea
TO run twice a day sweltering into the
cOves and break in chromatic arches on
/ the white stones OF the beach.
For one vino has lived a long life
within cry OF the sea birds, II is dull
work to hear only the tOot IF the steam
whistle at o'clock OF morning. the
whirl Of the endless wire cslbIes in the
dark of a nine and the rumble-rumble
of wagons. full and empty.
dainty spot was that little bit OF
! beach Billy Bryan would not hear Of
rent. The very mention Of money made
him furious. He expressed himself thus:
Let the little one make a cosy nest
for us two old wizened fellows. before
she hies away 20 a nest Of her own-as
Of course she will do-and Billy Bryan
will be content
Billy had got a few days off duty from
the lighthouse, out Of turn. and very
naturally had abused his outgoing sub
/ stitute as far as his voice could carry.
Then he had given himself up unre-
/ strainedly TO the pleasures of sense.
| He went about win Old Dick. calling
/ him all the names he could lay his
tongue to- but pointing out all manner
Of dainty sea-going-Or rather sea home
coming-devices. to which the "Ould I'm
! could turn HIS hands in the brief spells
when he was not laid up entirely wild
! laziness'
There was. for instance. a spot where
/ tan flagstaff must be erected. Billy
/ knew the tree and the man that owned
I il. Then there must be a brass cannon
/ 10 fire saIutes with. And Billy knew the
sailOrman who had nearly finished wild
I that Gt turned out that the man in
question had nearly finished" with life
as well. and that his next visitor would
( likely be One for whose coming no sa-
B lUtes are fired3
/ Brass. said Billy. triumphantly. wild
/ white waterproof sheeting ard a ball to
shut its mouth when it's done talking.
/ And good thing for you. Dick, if you
/ had the like! Then there's a summer
I house, with a stand for the telescope.
/ Billy-shipS for TO see, and sailormen
going by hanging out their shirts to dry
/ in the sun, and me on the lantern plat
form Of the Skerry, shaking my clout for
I cleaning the refiectors at ye. and Won
derlng what you and Vida here had been
! having for breakfast
Nothing could have delighted Vida
more She was still within six miles OF
Kirktown. from which Rose came often
To visit her. The eternal whiri and re-
verse OF the pithead wheels We're done
with. The miles Of woodland shut them
{ out with tufted moors. green and purple
/ in the summer, gray and brown in win
ter: Vida could have sung for joy only
! to look at them.
In fact, when there was no one to hear
her. she did. Phil said she sang Ike an
/ angel-but Vida thought better OF the
angels than that
! Then there were the birds. outside in