90 A Day with the Sea Urchins.

The sea-birds were flying homeward, slowly uttering
from time to time their rather melancholy cries. All the
gay boats were gathering into the harbour, and I could
see the bright star-like light of the lighthouse on shore
beginning to gleam and flash; family parties of Land
Urchins were being got together by their nurses, and

 

led home ere the twilight fell on the steep pathway up
the cliff. My little friends had grown very quiet as we
sped on over the gentle ripples of the sea, and presently
they began to sing the song I have written down here
to a sweet simple air, which the cliffs seemed to catch
up and echo back as they sang :—

“Day’s bright hues are fading
From the ocean’s breast 3
Lo, the sun is setting
In the crimson west,