TROUBLE. 171 



Cousin Ellen nor Dr. McLean — nor anybody," 

 and promised he would look into the matter. 



Undine's confidence in her father was only 

 equaled by her love, and soon she was laugh- 

 ing gleefully -^vhile she searched his pockets 

 for the strange money he told her he had 

 brought her. 



One pocket she found filled with cowries, 

 yellow and shining. "Money cowries," her 

 father told her they were called, because of 

 their commercial value in some parts of Asia 

 and Africa, to which places many tons weight 

 have been carried annually by traders. " Orange 

 cowries," said her father, " are the crown jewels 

 of the Friendly Islanders, and are worn as 

 marks of chieftainship. But go further, Un- 

 dine ; you will find other Cyprcea that will 

 please your fancy." And truly the elegant 

 " porcelain shells " she found in another pocket, 

 with their exquisite enamel and beautiful mot- 

 tliag, called forth expressions of the greatest 

 delight. Among the richly colored was a 

 shell of purest white, all the fairer for its lone- 

 ness. It was the Ovulum ovum, or " poached 

 egg," as it is often called. Another very curi- 

 ous to her was the Ovulum volva, or " weavers' 

 shuttle," as it is named, because of the prolon- 

 gations of both ends of the shell. 



13 



