"Look here!" and she held up for Lina's inspection a handful of tiny shells, of the most delicate shapes and colours, mixed with fragments of pink and white coralline.

"Oh! oh!! oh!!!" was all Lina could say, and down she threw herself by Rosalia's side, instantly absorbed in the dear delight of shell-gathering.

Ciccio, too, when he had quite finished his bread, set to work in the same way, but his tastes were on a larger scale. He cared only for the big ormers, and doves, and scallops, and cockles, the dried starfish, and trails of seaweed, encrusted with coralline and sea-sponges, and curious soft olive-green balls, of which there were great quantities. However, he

soon wearied of making this collection and amused himself by walking on the extreme edge of the ledge of sand, pushed up by the waves, which of course gave way at nearly every step, and enabled him to get his feet delightfully wet in an extremely short time. He was just meditating taking off his shoes and stockings and marching straight into the water, when Mrs. Gerard came across the sands to

summon the children to lunch. Both girls were so occupied in their shell-hunt, that they gave a great start when they heard her voice close behind them.

Lina quickly jumped up, holding a handful of tiny treasures. See, mamma! how many dear little shells I have found; and Rosalia is so kind, she gives me all her prettiest ones. Do look at these little glass shells. They are just like air-bubbles; and Rosalia says they are called "bulle;" and these wee, wee ones, like grains of rice; and these little horns like fairy trumpets!"

They are indeed pretty," said Mrs. Gerard; "but now you must come to luncheon; we are all very hungry."

"I'm not, mamma!" said Lina, "I have no time to feel hungry with all these sweet little shells waiting to be picked up."

"But I am, though," said Ciccio "and I have got plenty of shells already, a great deal better than Lina's."

"You dreadful little boy! how wet your feet

are!" said Mrs. Gerard, shocked at the dripping state of her nephew's fat legs.

"What's the use of coming on the beach, if you keep your feet dry, Aunty?" pleaded Ciccio with a comical look. "They'll be quite dry by the time we have done lunch. Now I'll bet you all my shells, girls, that I get there first," and off he dashed; and, having a good start, was already seated on the sand by his mother's side, with a goodly portion of galantine in his lap, by the time the girls appeared flushed and panting from their race over the sands.

CHAPTER XI.

UNCLE PASQUALE TRIES TO TELL A FAIRY

TALE.

I NEED not tell you that they were an uncommonly merry party. The fresh sea-air had brought quite a colour into Aunt Caroline's pale cheeks; and it was pretty to see how tenderly the little girls, and Ciccio, too (as soon as his desperate hunger was satisfied), hovered about her, bringing dainty little slices of chicken and other delicacies, to tempt her to eat "just another bit," and filling up her glass till she laughingly bade them stop. Uncle Pasquale, merrier than ever in the rare enjoyment of having his wife with him, told the children all sorts of funny stories, that sent even grave, careworn Mrs. Gerard into convulsions of laughter.

"I do think this is the very prettiest place in the

world, uncle!" exclaimed Lina, with heartfelt enthusiasm, as she helped Rosalia to pack the empty plates and dishes in the basket. "How nice it would be to have a little house here, and live in it all our lives!"

"It would be rather stupid without any other fellows to play with," remarked Ciccio, draining the wine left in his father's tumbler, as the most satisfactory way of getting rid of its contents before replacing it in the basket.

"Oh! but our friends should have houses here too," continued Lina; "all your favourite schoolmates, Ciccio, and your cousins, and my dear sister Emily, and Uncle George, too, if he liked to come, and all my friends from Florence. Oh, how happy we should be! We would climb up the mountains, and gather wild flowers, and pick up shells, and do nothing but amuse ourselves from morning till night."

"But on wet days, Lina, what would you do? Don't you think we should want some lesson-books then?" inquired practical Rosalia.