We could not distinguish our own
two, but when we got near they were soon made out, for the other children
were blue-eyed, flaxen-pated little folks, whereas ours were dark and
straight-haired.
We had written to say that we were coming, but had desired that nothing
should be said to the children, so these paid no more attention to us
than they would have done to any other stranger, who happened to visit a
spot so unfrequented except by sea-faring folk, which we plainly were
not. The interest, however, in us was much quickened when it was
discovered that we had got our pockets full of oranges and sweeties, to
an extent greater than it had entered into their small imaginations to
conceive as possible. At first we had great difficulty in making them
come near us. They were like a lot of wild young colts, very
inquisitive, but very coy and not to be cajoled easily. The children
were nine in all--five boys and two girls belonging to Mr and Mrs
Rollings, and two to Ernest. I never saw a finer lot of children than
the young Rollings, the boys were hardy, robust, fearless little fellows
with eyes as clear as hawks; the elder girl was exquisitely pretty, but
the younger one was a mere baby.
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