He looked very brown and strong, and so well favoured that it
almost seemed as if he must have caught some good looks from the
people among whom he had been living. He came back to his old rooms in
the Temple, and settled down as easily as if he had never been away
a day.
One of the first things we did was to go and see the children; we
took the train to Gravesend, and walked thence for a few miles along
the riverside till we came to the solitary house where the good people
lived with whom Ernest had placed them. It was a lovely April morning,
but with a fresh air blowing from off the sea; the tide was high,
and the river was alive with shipping coming up with wind and tide.
Sea-gulls wheeled around us overhead, seaweed clung everywhere to
the banks which the advancing tide had not yet covered, everything was
of the sea sea-ey, and the fine bracing air which blew over the
water made me feel more hungry than I had done for many a day; I did
not see how children could live in a better physical atmosphere than
this, and applauded the selection which had made on behalf of his
youngsters.
While we were still a quarter of a mile off we heard shouts and
children's laughter, and could see a lot of boys and girls romping
together and running after one another.
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