losed door of the hotel. He started to his feet, with the ready
alacrity of a man whose life has accustomed him to wake at the shortest
notice. An instant's look round showed him that the room was empty, and
a glance at his watch told him that it was close on midnight. The noise
made by the sleepy servant in opening the door, and the tread the next
moment of quick footsteps in the passage, filled him with a sudden
foreboding of something wrong. As he hurriedly stepped forward to go
out and make inquiry, the door of the coffee-room opened, and the doctor
stood before him.

"I am sorry to disturb you," said Mr. Hawbury. "Don't be alarmed;
there's nothing wrong."

"Where is my friend?" asked Midwinter.

"At the pier head," answered the doctor. "I am, to a certain extent,
responsible for what he is doing now; and I think some careful person,
like yourself, ought to be with him."

The hint was enough for Midwinter. He and the doctor set out for the
pier immediately, Mr. Hawbury mentioning on the way the circumstances
under which he had come to the hotel.

Punctual to the appointed hour Allan had made his appearance at the
doctor's house, explaining that he had left his weary friend so fast
asleep on the sofa that he had not had the heart to wake him. The
evening had passed pleasantly, and the conversation had turned on many
subjects, until, in an evil hour, Mr. Hawbury had dropped a hint
which showed that he was fond of sailing, and that he possessed a
pleasure-boat of his own in the harbor. Excited on the instant by his
favorite topic, Allan had left his host no hospitable alternative but to
take him to the pier head and show him the boat. The beauty of the night
and the softness of the breeze had done the rest of the mischief; they
had filled Allan with irresistible longings for a sail by moonlight.
Prevented from accompanying his guest by professional hindrances which
obliged him to remain on shore, the doctor, not knowing what else to
do, had ventured on disturbing Midwinter, rather than take the
responsibility of allowing Mr. Armadale (no matter how well he might be
accustomed to the sea) to set off on a sailing trip at midnight entirely
by himself.

The time taken to make this explanation brought Midwinter and the doctor
to the pier head. There, sure enough, was young Armadale in the boat,
hoisting the sail, and singing the sailor's "Yo-heave-ho!" at the top of
his voice.

"Come along, old boy!" cried Allan. "