an. He will
never know you wouldn't let me go upstairs and dress properly."

"It doesn't matter anyway," rejoined Mark, "because it is only Carnaby
coming. You might know he would find us even if we were at the bottom
of the river."

XIII

CARNABY TO THE RESCUE

At Stoke Revel, in the meantime, the solemn rites of dinner had been
inaugurated as usual by the sounding of the gong at seven o'clock.
Mrs. de Tracy, Miss Smeardon, and Bates waited five minutes in silent
resignation, then Carnaby came down and was scolded for being late,
but there was no Robinette and no Lavendar.

"Carnaby," said his grandmother, "do you know where Mark intended
going this afternoon?"

"No, I don't," said Carnaby, sulkily.

"Your cousin Robinetta,"--with meaning,--"perhaps you know her
whereabouts?"

"Not I!" replied Carnaby with affected nonchalance. "I was ferreting
with Wilson." He had ferreted perhaps for fifteen minutes and then
spent the rest of the afternoon in solitary discontent, but he would
not have owned it for the world.

"Call Bates," commanded Mrs. de Tracy. Bates entered. "Do you know if
Mr. Lavendar intended going any distance to-day? Did he leave any
message?"

"Mr. Lavendar, ma'am," said Bates, "Mr. Lavendar and Mrs. Loring they
went out in the boat after tea. Mr. Lavendar asked William for the
key, and William he went down and got out the oars and rudder,
ma'am."

"Does William know where they went?" asked Mrs. de Tracy in high
displeasure. "Was it to Wittisham?"

"No, ma'am, William says they went down stream. He thinks perhaps they
were going to the Flag Rock, and he says the gentleman wouldn't have a
hard pull, as the tide was going out. But Mr. Lavendar knows the river
well, ma'am, as well as Mr. Carnaby here."

"Then I conclude there is no immediate cause for anxiety," said Mrs.
de Tracy with satire. "You can serve dinner, Bates; there seems no
reason why we should fast as yet! However, Carnaby," she continued,
"as the men cannot be spared at this hour, you had better go at once
and see what has happened to our guests."

"Right you are," cried Carnaby with the utmost alacrity. He was
hungry, but the prospect of escape was better than food. He rushed
away, and his boat was in mid-river before Mrs. de Tracy and Miss
Smeardon had finished their tepid soup.

A very slim young moon was just rising above the woods, but her tender
light cast no shadows as yet, and there were no stars in the sky,