Rilla of the Lighthouse

's gone down. Ahoy, thar, Shagsie! Here comes a crashin' big wave. Whoo! Wa'n't that-un a tarnal

trip of beach and gazed intently at the whirling, seething water where a breaker of u

and Lighthouse, severe in outline, but glaring red and white in color that it might be

ften hung like wet, impenetrable blankets over that part of the New England coast, many a vessel would have crashed to its

f beach and began to bark furiously at some object that was tossing on an incoming wave. The girl raced after him, h

panion. "'Tain't what yo' was tryin' to fetch ashore down

rl's big, starlike eyes change

ith one hand, and gazed searchingly out toward the horizon, but in another moment her eager interest returned to the box.

g foam, caught a banded box of foreign appearance and held on with all her strength while t

en about her face. This hindered the freedom of her movements, and so, snatching up a wet green ribbon of seaweed, she tied her hair b

ged! But her efforts were fruitless, for with a deafening thud the wave crashed over h

ed but exultant and

d breathless, she sank down on the banded box for a moment

g girl. "Well, sir, so would I, but like as not we'd better get

lanced up at the lighth

t 'twa'n't be long now afore he's wakin

he rocks and about half an hour later, as a reward for her perseverence, she disappeared with it into a small opening in the cliff, and n

g safely hidden the box in her Treasure Cave, the girl had suddenly tho

till tomorrer to know what's in it. We'll come an' look as

ey brows. "A severe, unforgiving man," some folks called him, but he hadn't looked long at the darling of his heart before his expression

cal'late ye've been workin' purty hard this past hour

the old man, who, with his cap pushed back, sat by the stove i

chattering, she was singing meeting-house songs in her sweet untrained voice while she fried the fish and potatoes, but tonight the old captain noted that the girl was unusually silent, that her cheeks were almost feverishly red, and there was a sudden clutching dread in his heart. Just so had the other Rilly, this gi

know I wouldn't be leavin' yo'. I love yo', Grand-d

the v'yage? Take an

pression on her truly beautiful face, stood up and lifting her hand, seemingly unconscious that it held a fork, said in a v

ughing eyes directly into the grey ones that were softening again, "I'm only sixteen, come next month, and why 'tis yo' worry so 'bout my marryi

him. But, instead of beginning, he remarked: "I can't figger out why I keep thinkin' of city fellers this week past. They don't any of 'em come to Tunkett at this time o' the year. That thar summer hotel at the pint is close

eloved corncob pipe and watching the sunset. She went out and sat on a wooden stool at his feet. Rilla loved to sit quietly

e light on, Ril

r, just as the first stars glimmered through the dusk, the great light flashed over the sea and began slowly

that was nearly becalmed and would h

y, like's not. He's a

er feet, accompanied her. "Good-night, Grand-dad," she said, standing o

I come sixteen yer goin' to tell me all about

ed in the affirmative, was the only repl

e room over the kitchen, and Shags followed, fo

ng, but in summer, when the city people were in their cabins on the point, it was pulsing with life, color and music. Rilla never visited the town in summer. She was then practically a prisoner on the small rocky island. For a long time she s

, not by the bedside, but facing the window. Looking up toward the peaceful, starry sky, she whi

next day was to bring into her hitherto quie