Theo and his dad woke up early the next morning. At breakfast, Uncle Henry asked if Theo wanted to tour the lighthouse. Theo almost jumped out of his chair with excitement. “Can we?” he asked, a little breathlessly.

Uncle Henry laughed his big, booming laugh. “Of course! I thought that might please you. We can go right after breakfast.”  

Uncle Henry took them up the gravel path leading uphill from the house to the lighthouse. He unlocked the little wooden door and brought a flashlight. The pale, yellow light illuminated a spiral metal staircase.  

“Where’s the light switch?” Theo asked. He searched for something on the wall that would turn on the lights. He found it quickly enough and flipped the outdated switch on the wall . . . to no effect.  

“I’ve been meaning to replace that,” Uncle Henry sighed. He stepped into the shadowy base of the lighthouse, the flashlight leading the way. “Haven’t gotten around to it yet.”  

This isn’t too bad though, Theo thought. Light filtered in through small, high windows, and Uncle Henry's flashlight had a steady beam. So, Theo had no trouble following his uncle up the spiraling stairs.

They climbed and climbed until Theo’s legs burned. They kept climbing until they reached a small landing with a little ladder set into the wall that led up to a trap door.

“Are you ready to see the lighthouse light?” Uncle Henry asked with a boyish grin. Theo nodded. He was too captivated by the mood and presence of the lighthouse to speak. It didn’t seem right.

Uncle Henry pushed open the little trap door and let Theo climb into the top of the lighthouse.

Theo gasped. It felt like they were standing in the sky. Big, wide windowpanes started a couple feet off the floor. They stretched all the way up to the ceiling, showing wide, sweeping landscapes far below.

The lighthouse light itself was completely encased in a strange, line-patterned glass that was too bright to look at.

“Careful, Theo. That light is on all the time. It can get a little hot,” Uncle Henry warned from somewhere behind him. Theo nodded.

He could feel it when he held out his hand towards the light. That was the power saving big ships from crashing into rocks near the shore. After carefully examining the slowly turning light, Theo turned his attention to the windows.  

“Look how high we climbed!” he said, pointing down at the grey-shingled rooftops of Teccowah. He ran around to the other side to stare at the green-grey sea. His nose pressed up against the cool glass.

The sea shone glossy in the sunlight like an enormous stained-glass window. Foamy white waves gently lapped at the shore. Theo saw people, as tiny as insects, fishing in tiny toy boats out on the water.  

“What do you think?” Uncle Henry asked. Theo turned with surprise. He had completely forgotten about his great uncle amid the lighthouse's wonder.  

“It’s really cool,” Theo answered, expressing his feelings as best as he could.  

“Well, stay as long as you like then. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you. Don’t stay too long though. Your Aunt Margret will have lunch ready in about an hour.” 

“Ok,” Theo answered readily, turning back to stare out the window again. 

He came down a little while later and walked back to the house. His head was full of seascapes and the way housetops look when you see them from above.

After eating lunch and cleaning the table, Dad offered a sudden suggestion. “How would you like to go to the beach, Theo?”  

Theo paused for a moment. He really should try to do some father-son bonding. This thought and the glowing image of the ocean he had seen from the top of the lighthouse erased the small resistance he had felt.

Theo grinned. “Sure!” 

Uncle Henry and Aunt Margret had left to run errands, so Theo and Dad went down to the beach alone. It was only about a five minute walk from the cottage. Since Theo ran most of the way, it took even less time than that.

The beach was just as Theo had seen from the lighthouse. A few big, fluffy clouds floated through the sky, pushed by the sea breeze. The ocean sparkled in the sun and lapped gently at the shore.

Theo ran in without a second thought. The water was cold! He yelped and spluttered as the waves rose around his waist. He whooped and plunged underneath the next wave.