because he was altogether different from anyone that she had met
before; his Indian stories amused her, his views of life were
original, and his grumbling at modern ways and modern innovations
in no way concealed the fact that in spite of it all he evidently
enjoyed life thoroughly.

The Osprey had fine weather as she ran along the south coast,
anchoring under Portland for a day, while the party examined the
works of the breakwater and paid a visit to the quarries, where the
convicts were at work. She put into Torquay, Dartmouth and
Plymouth, spending a day in the two former ports and two at the
last named. They looked into Fowey, and stopped two days at
Falmouth, and then, rounding the Land's End, made for Kingstown.
From here they started for the Clyde; but meeting with very heavy
weather, went into Belfast Lough.

The Osprey proved to be a fine sea boat, and behaved so well that
even Lady Greendale declared she would not be afraid to trust
herself on board her in any weather. They sailed up the Clyde as
far as Greenock, and then returning, cruised for a fortnight among
the islands on the west coast. They had enjoyed their stay at
Kingstown so much that they put in there again on their return
voyage, shaped their course for Plymouth, and then, without looking
into any other port, returned to Southampton.

Jack Hawley and Miss Sinclair had become engaged during the voyage,
and the Colonel and Lady Greendale had become so confidential that
Frank laughingly asked him if he had changed his views on the
subject of matrimony, a suggestion which he indignantly repudiated.

"I should have thought that you knew me better," he said,
reproachfully. "I admit that Lady Greendale is a very charming
woman, but you don't think that she can imagine for a moment that I
have ever entertained any idea of such a thing? You said that I was
to amuse her if I could. I have tried my best to keep the old lady
as much to myself as possible, so as to enable all you young people
to carry out your flirtations to your heart's content. By gad, sir,
it would be a nice return for following out your instructions to
find myself in such a hole as that."

Frank had some difficulty in persuading the Colonel that his remark
was not meant as a serious one, and that there was no fear whatever
that Lady Greendale had ever had the slightest reason to suppose
that his intentions were not of a most Platonic nature.

"I am heartily glad," the Colonel said