232 GRAY LADY AND THE BIRDS 
the school, she heard the sharp trot of hoofs, and, turning 
in that direction, saw Jacob Hughes driving the depot 
rockaway, Goldilocks being beside him and Gray Lady 
seated behind. Goldilocks waved her hand on seeing Miss 
Wilde, and in another minute ‘‘ teacher” was seated beside 
Gray Lady, and not only knew of the avalanche of oysters, 
but was herself on the way to the shore with her friends, 
who were going, not for the sake of the oysters, but to 
enjoy what was sure to be a picturesque scene, with the 
shell-strewn beach, the sharp bluff on the left, and the 
long sand-bar, with its lighthouse on the right, for a setting. 
Nor were they disappointed. 
For once tell-tale news did not exaggerate, and, though 
there were many cut and scratched fingers from the sharp 
shells, before noon there was no one who had not gathered 
all the oysters he could carry. The more thrifty among 
the men also began to gather the seaweed into heaps safe 
from the incoming tide, so that they might be sure of find- 
ing it the next day, while the women and children gathered 
driftwood and, making fireplaces of a few stones, heated 
the coffee they had brought. For, though the sun was 
now shining clear, and the wind had dropped to a little 
breeze that scarcely moved the surface of the tide pools, 
there was a growing keenness in the air that named the 
month ‘‘ December,’’ and promised the wind would be in 
the northwest by night. 
In spite of the unusual human picture before them, 
that which interested Gray Lady, Miss Wilde, and Goldi- 
locks the most were the Gulls that covered the bare sand- 
bar, waded in the shallow pools, and clambered among the 
stones in search of food, which they picked out with their 
