176 THE PROVIDENTIAL BIRD. CHAP. ix. 



about the strange bird among the sanderlings : " What 

 could it be ? " Perhaps the bird had been his Provi- 

 dence. He tried to think so. 



In the meantime, he was very cold. He found 

 his coat, vest, and hat, a long way down the beach. On 

 his return, he found that he had been followed by 

 some people, who were watching him. When he re- 

 turned, they followed him until he reached his clothes. 

 And when they saw him dressed, and ready to depart, 

 they disappeared. Not wishing to cross the links 

 again that night, he turned and went up Don side 

 to the new bridge, and took the road from thence into 

 the town. 



It was late before he got home. Being still very 

 much depressed, and feeling very unwell, he went 

 almost immediately to bed, thinking that he might 

 be able to hide his grief yet a little longer from 

 those who were near and dear to him, dearer to 

 him now than ever. But, alas ! the ordeal he had 

 passed through during the day, had been most dread- 

 ful ; and he was racked by conflicting and torturing 

 thoughts during the whole of his sleepless night. 



Morning, anxiously-wished-for morning, came at 

 last. Although still feverish from excitement, and 

 very unsettled in his mind, he got up, dressed, and 

 went down to the sea-shore a little after daylight, 

 eagerly searching for the strange bird of the preceding 

 evening. But although he walked several times along 

 the sands, from the bathing machines to the mouth 



