,--a tone fairly agonizing to Mark Lavendar; "we
should never belittle the stuff that's been put into us! My equipment
isn't particularly large, but I am going to squeeze every ounce of
power from it before I die."

"Life is extraordinarily interesting to you, isn't it?"

"Interesting? It is thrilling! So will it be to you when you make up
your mind to squeeze it," said Robinette, jumping off the wall. "There
is Carnaby signalling; it is time we went to the station."

"Life would thrill me considerably more if Carnaby were not eternally
in evidence," said Lavendar, but Robinette pretended not to hear.

XII

LOVE IN THE MUD

The next day Robinette was once more sitting in the boat opposite to
Lavendar as he rowed. They were going down the river this time, not
across it. Somehow they had managed that afternoon to get out by
themselves, which sounds very simple, but is a wonderfully difficult
thing to accomplish when there is no special reason for it, and when
there are several other people in the house.

Fortunately Mrs. de Tracy did not like to be alone, so that wherever
she went Miss Smeardon had to go too, and there happened to be a sale
of work at a neighbouring vicarage that afternoon where she considered
her presence a necessity. Robinette had vanished soon after luncheon
and the middy had been dull, so after loitering around for a while, he
too had disappeared upon some errand of his own. Lavendar walked very
slowly toward the avenue gateway, then he turned and came back. He
could scarcely believe his good fortune when he saw Mrs. Loring come
out of the house, and pause at the door as if uncertain of her next
movements. She looked uncommonly lovely in a white frock with touches
of blue, while the ribbon in her hair brought out all its gold. She
wore a flowery garden hat, and a pair of dainty most un-English shoes
peeped from beneath her short skirt.

"Are you going out, or can I take you on the river?" Lavendar asked,
trying without much success to conceal the eagerness that showed in
his voice and eyes.

Robinette stood for a moment looking at him (it seemed as if she read
him like a book) and then she said frankly, "Why yes, there is nothing
I should like so much, but where is Carnaby?"

"Hang Carnaby! I mean I don't know, or care. I've had too much of his
society to-day to be pining for it now."

"Well, he does chatter like a magpie, but I feel he must have such a
dull time here with no one