CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH.
"Oh, Lord! methought what pain it was to drown!" -- SHAKESPEARE.
Cousin Ronald was a great favorite with his young relatives.

Harold and Herbert had long since voted him quite equal, if not superior to Captain Brice as a story-teller; his narratives were fully as interesting, and beside always contained a moral or some useful information.
There were tales of the sea, wild tales of the Highlands and of the Scottish Border; stories of William Wallace, of the Bruce and the Black Douglass, in all of which the children greatly delighted.
Mr.Lilburn's ventriloquial powers were used for their amusement also, and altogether they found him a very entertaining companion.
Rosie holding a shell to her ear one day, was sent into ecstasies of delight, by hearing low, sweet strains of music, apparently coming from the inside of it.
At another time, as she stooped to pick up a dead crab while wandering along the beach, she started back in dismay at hearing it scream out in a shrill, tiny voice, "Don't touch me! I'll pinch you, if you do." The merry laugh of the boys told her that it was "only Cousin Ronald," but she let the crab alone, keeping at a respectful distance from its claws.
This was on the evening spoken of in our last chapter, and while her mamma and Aunt Lucy were chatting together in the veranda, waiting for the call to tea.
It sounded presently, and Cousin Ronald and the children started on a run for the house, trying who could get there first.
Harold showed himself the fleetest of foot, Herbert and Frank Daly were close at his heels, while Mr.Lilburn, with Rosie in one hand and little Walter in the other, came puffing and blowing not far behind.
"Won't you take us another walk, cousin ?" asked Rosie when they came out again after the meal.
"Yes," he said, "this is a very pleasant time to be down on the beach.
Come lads," to Harold and Herbert, "will you go along ?" They were only too glad to accept the invitation, and the four sauntered leisurely down to the water's edge, where they strolled along watching the incoming tide.
"I love the sea," said Rosie.

"I wish we could take it home with us." "We have a lake and must be content with that," said Herbert, picking up a stone and sending it far out, to fall with a splash in among the restless waves; "we can't have everything in one place." "Did you ever see a mermaid, Rosie ?" asked Mr.Lilburn.
"No, sir; what is it ?" "They're said to live in the sea, and to be half fish and half woman." "Ugh! that's dreadful! I wouldn't like to be half of a fish.

But I wish I could see one.

Are there any in our sea here, Cousin Ronald ?" "They're said to have very long hair," he went on, not noticing her query, "and to come out of the water and sit on the rocks, sometimes, while they comb it out with their fingers and sing." "Sing! Oh, I'd like to hear 'em! I wish one would come and sit on that big rock 'way out there." "Look sharp now and see if there is one there.