ON THE SHOBE 359 



''Oh! " exclaimed Doclo, "now that the horses have 

 gone, the good time will begin ; for we can't go back 

 even if we want to." 



The children amused themselves for some time in 

 looking at their new quarters, and then in watching 

 Olaf row out to light the beacon lamps. When it grew 

 dusk they had supper, wondering at the strange stillness 

 of the evening ; for, though it was usually very quiet at 

 the Farm, they had never before known the silence that 

 falls with the twilight on a shore wdiere the water does 

 not rush and beat as on the ocean beaches, but simply 

 laps lazily to and fro, like the swinging of a hammock. 



Presently the stars began to give good-evening winks 

 at the beacons — first one, then another and another, 

 until the whole sky twinkled ; w hile one evening star, the 

 brightest of them all, hurried along the west as if it were 

 trying to overtake the sun, and knew that it was fully 

 half an hour beliind the jolly god of day. 



"See how the tide is coming in," said Rap, when 

 they returned to the beach. " When Olaf went out, he 

 had to push his boat ever so far, and now the water is 

 almost up to the line of seaweeds and shells." 



" I wonder Avhat makes the water go in and out ? " 

 questioned Dodo, half to herself. 



" I don't exactly know," said Rap ; " but I think it is 

 because the earth goes round every day, making the 

 water tip from one side to the other and then back 

 again." 



" Then why doesn't it all tip off into the sky ? " per- 

 sisted Dodo. 



" I guess — because — that is, I don't know," stam- 

 mered Rap. 



