glad to
have him of their party.

Nandy, of course, knew no more about them than what his eyes told him,
that they were a party of officers from Plymouth come to enjoy themselves
at Merry-Garden. But the sight of them as they brought their boat to the
quay and landed--the first customers of the afternoon--put him in mind
that the time was drawing near for Miss Sophia to arrive with her
class-mates, and that Dr. Clatworthy would soon be turning up to squire
them around the orchard and entertain them at tea. He wickedly hoped that
the doctor hadn't left home before Mr. Jope reached Hi-jeen Villa.
But the thought of Mr. Jope reminded him of what Mr. Jope had said
concerning his pimples; and this again reminded him of what his beloved
Miss Sophia had said on the same subject. He had promised her to continue
taking mud-baths on his own account, even after he had cut his lucky (as
he put it) from Hi-jeen Villa. . . . To be sure, one bath wouldn't produce
any immediate result. _That_ wasn't to be expected. But it would be a
guarantee of good faith, as they say in the newspapers: and though he
hadn't time to dig a pit after the fashion of the baths in the doctor's
garden, still there was plenty of mud along the lower foreshore to give
him a nice soft roll; and a plenty of water for a swim, to wash himself
clean: and lastly (as he reckoned, having no watch) a plenty of time to do
this and be dressed again before the dear creature arrived. So Nandy,
with a stomach full of virtue, turned his back on the quay and started to
walk down the creek along the foreshore, to a corner where he might reckon
on being free from observation.

Meantime the young officers, that had landed and strolled up to the
cottage, were being received by Susannah, and in a twitter, poor soul!
"Her mistress was out--called away upon sudden business. Still, if they
would take the ups with the downs, she would do her best to have tea ready
in half an hour's time: and meanwhile they might roam the orchards and eat
as many cherries as they had a mind to, and all for sixpence a head.
Thirteen sixpences came--yes, surely--to six-and-sixpence. She would
rather they paid when Aunt Barbree returned. Or, if they preferred it,
there was a skittle-alley at the end of the garden, with a small
bowling-green . . ."

They preferred the bowling-green. Susannah conducted them to it, unlocked
the box of bowls, and was returning to the house in a fluster, when, in