ngsby."

It was the daughter of Mr. Richard Collingsby, and I had heard that her
name was Marian. Land Limpedon had rehearsed her charms to me, and with
no little disgust had added that Ben Waterford was "waiting upon her."
It seemed to me quite proper, therefore, that he should take her out to
sail.

"I will endeavor to be ready in an hour," she added. "But who is going
with you?"

"My sister and one or two others. We shall have a nice time. The lake
is still, and it is a splendid day. We shall have a good dinner, and I
know that you will enjoy it; only bring plenty of thick clothing, for
it may be chilly before we return."

"I always carry plenty of clothing when I go upon the water. But you
don't tell me who is going, Mr. Waterford."

"My sister and--"

"I never saw your sister. Is there any one I know?" asked Miss
Collingsby.

"I have invited four, and they all said they would go if they could. It
is short notice, but you see, Miss Collingsby, I never like to take out
any ladies without being sure of the weather."

"You are very wise and prudent, Mr. Waterford," laughed the beautiful
young lady; "I shall be there, for one."

"Thank you; then we shall be sure to have a pleasant time," added the
skipper.

"But I shall not go unless some of the rest of the party appear. I will
not go alone."

"Mr. Whippleton will be in the Florina, near us. We shall sail in
company, and he will have a party in his boat."

The young lady very properly repeated her stipulation that others
should join the party, and when the terms were duly arranged, Mr.
Waterford left the house. Miss Marian glanced at me, and that was all.
Probably she did not think I was worth noticing; but she changed her
mind before night, for it so happened that I was one of the party in
Mr. Waterford's yacht that day.

The servant showed me up stairs, where I found Mr. Collingsby
comfortably sick in his arm-chair.

CHAPTER XIII.

IN WHICH PHIL LOOKS INTO THE OPERATIONS OF THE JUNIOR PARTNER.

As I went up the stairs, I did not see how Mr. Whippleton was to sail a
party in his yacht on the lake, and still explain to me the difficulty
about the books of the firm. But then, what had been so mysterious in
the ways of the junior partner was now becoming more tangible. In
solving the problem of the invoices, all the rest of the trouble seemed
to be unravelled. Mr. Ben Waterford intimated that Mr. Whippleton was
to sail his boat with a party