owed on, looking for it. All at once it came into
my mind what a way I must have gone, and I turned and waited. And might
have waited till now," he added, "for Hart never came."

"Then his arm must have failed him," exclaimed Captain Dawkes. "I thought
it was all wrong."

"It wasn't right, for I soon shot past him," returned young Carteret.
"But Hart knew the spot where the boat ought to have been, though I
didn't; what he did, I suppose, was to clear round it just as though it
had been there, and come in home again. It will be an awful shame if he
takes an unfair advantage of it, and claims the race."

"Hartledon never took an unfair advantage in his life," spoke up Val
Elster, in clear, decisive tones. "You need not be afraid, Carteret.
I dare say his arm failed him."

"Well, he might have hallooed when he found it failing, and not have
suffered me to row all that way for nothing," retorted young Carteret.
"Not a trace could I see of him as I came back; he had hastened home,
I expect, to shut himself up in his room with his damaged arm and foot."

"I'll see what he's doing there," said Val.

He went out; but returned immediately.

"We are all under a mistake," was his greeting. "Hartledon has not
returned yet. His servant is in his room waiting for him."

"Then what do you mean by telling stories?" demanded the
countess-dowager, turning sharply on Mr. Carteret.

"Good Heavens, ma'am! you need not begin upon me!" returned young
Carteret. "I have told no stories. I said Hart let me go on, and never
came on himself; if that's a story, I'll swallow Dawkes's skiff and the
sculls too."

"You said he was in his room. You know you did."

"I said I supposed so. It's usual for a man to go there, I believe, to
get ready for dinner," added young Carteret, always ripe for a wordy war,
in his antipathy to the countess-dowager.

"_You_ said he had come in;" and the angry woman faced round on Captain
Dawkes. "You saw them going into their rooms, you said. Which was it--you
did, or you didn't?"

"I did see Carteret make his appearance; and assumed that Lord Hartledon
had gone on to his room," replied the captain, suppressing a laugh. "I am
sorry to have misled your ladyship. I dare say Hart is about the house
somewhere."

"Then why doesn't he appear?" stormed the dowager. "Pretty behaviour
this, to keep us all waiting dinner. I shall tell him so. Val Elster,
ring for Hedges."

Val rang the bell. "Has Lord Hartledon