ight
and Vernon with them in a larger boat.

It was afternoon--an afternoon still warm and beautiful--when they began
to row home; so they took it quietly, and kept near the land for
variety's sake, laughing, joking, and talking as merrily as ever.

"I declare I think this is the prettiest, or anyhow the grandest bit of
the whole coast," said Eric, as they neared a glen through whose narrow
gorge a green and garrulous little river gambolled down with noisy
turbulence into the sea. He might well admire that glen; its steep and
rugged sides were veiled with lichens, moss, and wild-flowers, and the
sea-birds found safe refuge in its lonely windings, which were coloured
with topaz and emerald by the pencillings of nature and the rich stains
of time.

"Yes," answered Montagu, "_I_ always stick up for Avon Glen as the
finest scene we've got about here. But, I say, who's that gesticulating
on the rock there to the right of it? I verily believe it's Wright,
apostrophising the ocean for Vernon's benefit. I only see one of them
though."

"I bet you he's spouting:--

"Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll
Ten thousand fleets, etcetera."

said Graham, laughing.

"What do you say to putting in to shore there?" said Duncan. "It's only
two miles to Starhaven, and I daresay we could make shift to take them
in for that distance. If Jim says anything we'll chuck him overboard."

They rowed towards Avon Glen, and to their surprise Wright, who stood
there alone (for with a pocket telescope they clearly made out that it
_was_ Wright), still continued to wave his arms and beckon them in a
manner which they at first thought ridiculous, but which soon made them
feel rather uneasy.

Jim took an oar, and they soon got within two hundred yards of the
beach. Wright had ceased to make signals, but appeared to be shouting
to them, and pointing towards one corner of the glen; but though they
caught the sound of his voice, they could not hear what he said.

"I wonder why Vernon isn't with him," said Eric anxiously; "I hope--why,
what _are_ you looking at, Charlie?"

"What's that in the water there?" said Wildney, pointing in the
direction to which Wright was also looking.

Montagu snatched the telescope out of his hand and looked. "Good God!"
he exclaimed, turning pale; "what can be the matter?"

"Oh, _do_ let me look," said Eric.

"No! stop, stop, Eric; you'd better not, I think; pray don't, it may be
all a mista