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240 TO THE LIGHTHOUSEfrowning slightly. He was so pleased that he wasnot going to let anybody take away a grain of hispleasure. His father had praised him. They mustthink that he was perfectly indifferent. But you’vegot it now, Cam thought.

They had tacked, and they were sailing swiftly,buoyantly on long rocking waves which handedthem on from one to another with an extraordinarylilt and exhilaration beside the reef. On the left arow of rocks showed brown through the water whichthinned and became greener and on one, a higherrock, a wave incessantly broke and spurted a littlecolumn of drops which fell down in a shower. Onecould hear the slap of the water and the patter offalling drops and a kind of hushing and hissing soundfrom the waves rolling and gambolling and slappingthe rocks as if they were wild creatures who wereperfectly free and tossed and tumbled and sportedlike this for ever.

Now they could see two men on the Lighthouse,watching them and making ready to meet them.

Mr Ramsay buttoned his coat, and turned up histrousers. He took the large, badly packed, brownpaper parcel which Nancy had got ready and sat withit on his knee. Thus in complete readiness to landhe sat looking back at the island. With his long-sighted eyes perhaps he could see the dwindled leaf-like shape standing on end on a plate of gold quiteclearly. What could he see? Cam wondered. Itwas all a blur to her. What was he thinking now?she wondered. What was it he sought, so fixedly, sointently, so silently? They watched him, both ofthem, sitting bareheaded with his parcel on his knee