THE STORY OF THE WHITE-ROCK COVE.

CHAPTER I.

LONG AGO AT BRAYCOMBE.

The Story of the White-Rock Cove—"to be written down all from the verybeginning"—is urgently required by certain youthful petitioners, whoseimportunity is hard to resist; and the request is sealed by a rosy pairof lips from the little face nestling at my side, in a manner thatadmits of no denial.

"From the beginning;"—that very beginning carries me back to my ownold school-room, in the dear home at Braycombe, when, as a little boybetween nine and ten years old, I sat there doing my lessons.

It was on a Thursday morning, and, consequently, I was my mother'spupil. For whereas my tutor, a certain Mr. Glengelly, from our nearesttown of Elmworth, used to come over on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridaysfor the carrying forward of my education; my studies were, on the otherdays of the week, which I consequently liked much better, conductedunder the gentle superintendence of my mother.

On this particular morning I was working with energy at a rule-of-threesum, being engaged in a sort of exciting race with the clock, of whichthe result was still doubtful. When, however, the little click, whichmeant, as I well knew, five minutes to twelve, sounded, I had attainedmy quotient in plain figures; a few moments more, and the process offours into, twelves into, twenties into, had been accomplished;and just as the clock struck twelve I was able to hand up my slatetriumphantly with my task completed.

"A drawn game, mamma!" I exclaimed,

...

THE STORY OF THE WHITE-ROCK COVE.

With Illustrations.

LONDON:
T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;
EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

1871.

WILLIE AND ALECK AT THE FOOT OF THE WHITE ROCK

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS