will be necessary for us to do that," he
laughed. "Starting as we shall in the middle of March, we shan't
find it too hot in the Mediterranean before we turn our head
homewards; and I think we shall find plenty to amuse us between
Gibraltar and Jaffa."

"No, three months won't be too much, Frank. Tomorrow is the dinner
at the clubhouse, isn't it?"

"Yes. I should be sorry to miss that, for having only been just
elected a member of the Squadron, I should like to put in an
appearance at the first set dinner."

"Of course, Frank. I certainly should not like you to miss it."

The next evening Frank went ashore to dine at the club. An hour and
a half later a yacht's boat came off.

"I have a note for Miss Greendale," the man in the stern said, as
she came alongside; "I am to give it to her myself."

Bertha was summoned, and, much surprised, came on deck.

The man handed up the note to her. She took it into the companion,
where a light was burning; her name and that of the yacht were in
straggling handwriting that she scarcely recognised as Frank's.

She tore it open.

"My Darling: I have had a nasty accident, having been knocked down
just as I landed. I am at present at Dr. Maddison's. I wish you
would come ashore at once. It is nothing very serious, but if you
did not see me you might think that it was. Don't agitate your
mother, but bring Anna with you. The boat that brings this note
will take you ashore."

Bertha gave a little gasp, and then summoning up her courage, ran
down into the cabin.

"Mamma, dear, you must spare me and Anna for half an hour. I have
just had a note from Frank. He has been knocked down and hurt. He
says that it is nothing very serious, and he only writes to me to
come ashore so that I can assure myself. I won't stop more than a
quarter of an hour. If I find that he is worse than I expect, I
will send Anna off to you with a message."

Scarcely listening to what her mother said in reply, she ran into
her cabin, told Anna to put on her hat and shawl to go ashore with
her, and in a minute descended to the boat with her maid. It was a
four-oared gig, and the helmsman had taken his place in the stern
behind them.

Bertha sat cold and still without speaking. She was sure that Frank
must be more seriously hurt than he had said, or he would have had
himself taken off to the yacht instead of to the surgeon's. The
shaky and almost illegible handwriting showed the difficulty he
must have had