tain on hearing the painful news. "That
bates Banagher, as one of your countrymen would say."

"I'm sure nobody could be more sorry than I am," pleaded poor Mrs
Gilmour, whom this second mishap completely overwhelmed, "I did so long
for a cup of tea!"

"Well, well," said the Captain when he was able to speak, after a series
of chuckles that made him almost choke, "the next time that a picnic's
in the wind I'd take care, if I were you, to overhaul your hamper before
starting, to see that nothing is forgotten."

"It's all `that good Sarah,' auntie," cried Bob slily; and, then, they
all had another laugh, the misfortunes of the day being provocative,
somehow or other, of the greatest fun. "Oh that `good Sarah'!"

It appeared as if Mrs Gilmour would be the only sufferer in having to
go without her tea: but, at this critical point, Hellyer came to the
rescue.

"Beg pardon, mum," said he, stepping up to her with a deferential touch
of his forelock; "but I knows the woman in the keeper's lodge where you
comed in, and I thinks as how I could borrow a bit o' tea from her, if
you likes."

"Thank you very much, if it's no trouble," replied Mrs Gilmour, hailing
the offer with joy, "I certainly would like it."

Hardly waiting to hear the termination of her reply, the thoughtful
follow darted off along the winding path through the shrubbery by which
they had gained the pleasant little dell; returning before they thought
he could have reached the keeper's lodge with a little packet of tea.
This Miss Nell took from Hellyer and at once emptied into the teapot,
while Bob attended to the kettle and poured the boiling water in; so
that Mrs Gilmour was soon provided with the wished-for cup of her
favourite beverage.

The good lady's equanimity being now restored, she proceeded to question
the Captain about the Roman villa at Brading.

"But, what did you see after all?" she asked; "you haven't told us a
word yet."

"Oh, don't speak about it, ma'am," he replied grumpily. "It's a regular
swindle."

"But, what did you see?" she repeated, knowing his manner, and that he
was not put out with her, at all events. "I want to know."

"See?" echoed the Captain, snorting out the word somehow with suppressed
indignation. "Well, ma'am, to tell you the truth, we saw nothing but
some fragments of old pottery--"

"Just like broken pieces of flower-pots, auntie," interrupted Master Bob
in his eagerness. "The same as you have at the bot