acrity; and turning to the
coastguardsman, he added-- "I suppose, Hellyer, you could pick a bit
too, eh?"

"Yes, sir, saving your presence. But, only after you and the ladies,
sir," was Hellyer's respectful reply; and then, with all the training of
an experienced servant, knowledge he had gained in the exercise of his
manifold duties during several years' service as the Captain's coxswain,
he proceeded to assist Dick in waiting, with an "If you'll allow me,
sir."

"Some bread, please," called out the Captain presently. "Any your side,
Hellyer?"

Hellyer and Dick both looked about the table, seeking in vain for the
required article.

"I can't see none, sit," said the ex-coxswain deprecatingly, giving up
the quest after a bit in despair. He seemed, from the way in which he
spoke, as if he thought it was his fault that the bread was missing.
"There ain't any this side, sir."

Dick's search too was equally fruitless.

"Dear me!" exclaimed Mrs Gilmour, all anxiety. "Look in the hamper
again. Sure, we must have forgotten to take it out."

But there also, alas! no bread was to be found.

The Captain could not help laughing at Mrs Gilmour's face of dismay;
while Nellie clapped her hands in high glee.

"Oh, auntie," she cried, "I thought you said just now when we were
spreading the cloth that nothing had been forgotten, and how good Sarah
was to think of everything. Oh, auntie!"

"Oh, auntie!" chorussed Bob, joining in the general laugh. "Fancy
forgetting the bread!"

"Aye, to leave out the staff of life, of all things!" put in the
Captain, having his say. "I hope `the good Sarah' has not remimbered to
forgit anything more importint, sure!"

"I won't have you mimicking me," expostulated Mrs Gilmour, although she
took their joking in very good part. "Sure, mistakes will happen
sometimes, and there are biscuits if you can't have bread."

"All right, all right," said the Captain soothingly, "I dare say we'll
get along very well as we are. Don't worry any more about the matter,
ma'am. We've got your excellent piecrust, at any rate, and that's quite
good enough for me."

He chuckled still, though, for some time; and he chuckled more
presently, when something else, quite as important as the bread, was
discovered also to be missing.

The discovery came about in this wise. Before sitting down with the
others, Bob had rigged up in gipsy fashion, on three forked sticks, a
little brass kettle, which he had