they had naturally large arrears of talk
to make up. Arthur pointed out the various objects of interest to
Eunice, as the train whizzed past, and Peggy sat glued to the side of
Mrs Bryce, determined not to be monopolised by Hector thus early in the
day. Rob had come with his brother, but she felt little satisfaction in
his presence, knowing that he had tried to refuse the invitation, and
had only yielded on Arthur's assertion that he was needed for help, not
ornament, and must come whether he liked it or not, to lend a hand with
the oars. He looked pre-occupied and solemn, but was absolutely
friendly in his manner, rejoicing in the fineness of the weather, and
congratulating Peggy on the success of her dressmaking experiment, of
which he had heard from his brother. To explain that Hector's report
was entirely prejudiced, seemed but a tacit acknowledgment of his
infatuation, and Peggy blushed in sheer anger at the perversity of Fate,
the while she gave the true version of the affair, and dilated on her
own sufferings.

"It will be a lesson to me for life not to interfere with the business
of others, and take the bread out of the mouths of professionals by
amateur interference," she concluded grandiloquently, and Rob smiled in
his grave, kindly fashion. It seemed to Peggy that there was an added
kindliness in his smile of late, and several times during the morning
she looked up suddenly, to discover his eyes fixed upon her with a
scrutiny at once so tender, so anxious, and so searching, that she was
obliged to turn aside to conceal her tears.

When the train arrived at its destination, a couple of carriages
conveyed the travellers on the next stage of their journey, and with
their arrival at the little fishing village came the first hitch in the
programme. Arthur had written in advance to ask that two of the best
boats should be reserved for his party, and that a fisherman should be
in readiness to go in each, so that his friends need not exert
themselves more than they felt inclined. It is one thing, however, to
despatch an order to the depths of the country, and quite another to
find it fulfilled. As a matter of fact, the letter was even now lying
unopened in the village post-office, and Arthur was confronted with the
intelligence that men and boats had departed _en masse_ to attend a
regatta which was taking place some miles along the coast. Only a few
of the oldest and most unwieldy boats had been left behin