"Keep close to me, missy." "Don't touch it for a little while, my boy, I want your sister to see it expanded, and it will close up if you go poking it about.

Look, Miss Nell!" he continued, pointing it out to her with the end of his malacca cane, "The sun is just shining on it through the water, and you can sea its colours of pink, purple, and orange.

This is one of the actinea, or `anthozoa,' so-called from two Greek words meaning `living flowers.' A pretty name, missy, isn't it ?" "Yes," said Nellie.

"It reminds me of a fairy tale aunt Polly told me of the different flowers in the garden having a party and talking together." "Precisely, my dear; only the anthozoa can't talk!" "But, oh, how pretty this sea-anemone is!" cried she in ecstasies, not noticing his little bit of satire.

"It is wonderful!" "It is, my dear," replied the Captain; "although it's one of the commonest forms of the actinea family.