"OH! what pretty pink waves!” cried Katie, as one evening, tired with play, the children were seated on the low rocks, watching the setting sun that was flooding the cove with rosy light, tingeing the rippling water with crimson and purple and gold.
“I like looking at the clouds best," said Geraldine.
Aunt Barbara had been to the village, and was now returning. “Ah! there she is," said Geraldine, first opening the little gate at the top of the steps; and away the children ran to meet her.
“Where have you been, Aunt Barbara?" cried Katie.
“To the village, to take some fruit to a poor sick girl," answered Barbara.
And walking towards the rocks she sat down and took Geraldine on her lap.
“I’m so glad you have come," said Katie, "because we want to ask you about the stars. What are the stars, Aunt Barbara? They look so very wee; I think I could hold a great number of them in my hand."
“You will be greatly surprised, then," replied Barbara, “when I tell you they are in shape like the world we live on, and some of them are a great deal larger."
Katie looked still more astonished as Barbara went on to explain very simply some of the wonders of astronomy.
“Then, Aunt Barbara," said Katie, after a moment's pause, “if the stars are so big, how very large the moon must be."
"You are mistaken again, Katie; it is smaller than the stars you can see, but as it is a great deal nearer to us it looks larger."
“How funny! Is there a fire in the moon, that it looks so bright?"
“No," replied Barbara, "the moon is a dark body like our earth, but it is by reflecting the sun's light that it looks golden. I wonder if Katie can tell me why that is like Christ and His people?"
Katie thought for a minute, and then, looking up brightly, said, “I think I can guess; in my text I said to you this morning, Jesus is called 'the Sun of righteousness,' and His people ought to be like the moon, shining by His light.”
“You are quite right, darling," said Barbara, kissing her, "and we must try to shine brightly for Christ in the midst of a dark world, by making our lives as nearly like His as we can, and in this way we may perhaps show others the path to heaven, as the moon guides the traveler by her bright rays."
“Oh! what beautiful thoughts about the dear moon," exclaimed Katie; "I shall think about it all over again in bed to-night, when it shines into our nursery."
Geraldine lay quite still in Barbara's lap, listening to every word, though she seemed all absorbed in watching the bright clouds.
The waves were creeping to their feet in peaceful ripples, the hum of insects was in the still summer air, and the dreamy song of the sailors came floating indistinctly across the water.
Barbara looked at Geraldine, and thought of Wordsworth's lines,
"That beauty, born of murmuring sound,
Had passed into her face."
“I’m so sorry it's nearly our last evening," said Katie, after awhile.
“Yes, darling, we have had a happy time, have we not?" answered Barbara; "and I hope you will both come again next year."
Barbara's heart smote her as she said the words, but she could not bear to cast a shadow over the sunshine of Katie's life, and only added, “We must be going in now, as the sun has set, and I see Keats coming to meet us."
The morning for returning home arrived at last, in spite of all the wishing for one more day.
Boxes stood corded in the hall, and while the final packing arrangements were being concluded, grandmamma bustled about, stowing away mysterious-looking parcels into a hamper, and Katie fancied she saw tears standing in the loving eyes, as she stooped to kiss her.
“Bonnie " looked perfectly miserable, with his head enquiringly placed on one side, and his round, bright eyes glinting out through a shaggy fringe.
Now and then he would give a gentle pat with one of his paws, as if to say, “Please, somebody speak to me," but everyone was too busy.
Geraldine slipped away unnoticed by anyone, down to the beach, and climbed up to her favorite pinnacle on a bit of red rock and sat down.
Katie soon missed her companion and after hunting in the summer house, caught sight of Geraldine's white frock far below, and following her down the steep path, was soon by her side.
“Now we must make haste," cried Katie, " and say good-bye to all our favorite places, for Aunt Barbara is coming in five minutes to fetch us; all our shells are packed, but we must take some thrift roots home to plant in my garden. Good-bye, beautiful sea! Goodbye, dear rocks, until next summer; then we will come back again."
And so the children departed, and many a wistful glance was directed towards Silversands as the train bore them back to their inland homes.
Aunt Barbara, too, turned sadly away from the little station, after looking at the last faint streak of curly smoke as it vanished into the air, and wondered when those bright little faces would shine on her again.