ng? I'm glad you and the Major have made friends. You're sure
to like each other.--So I shall have to go round to his house and look
him up. I daresay he'll give me a bite to eat; and if he doesn't,
Doyle will. You will of course accept"--he appeared to be addressing
Major Kent--"Miss King's invitation. I'll call round for you at about
four. I daresay Miss King will give us both a cup of tea. You drive
her home in your trap, Major. I can walk down to Simpkins' house quite
easily."

Meldon, carrying his hat in one hand, strode off in the direction of
Mr. Simpkins' house. Miss King looked at Major Kent.

"You see it's all settled for you," she said. "You'll have to come
back with me."

"I suppose I had better," said the Major. Then after a pause he added,
"Of course I'm delighted to, and it's very kind of you to ask me."

Simpkins was stretched in a hammock chair reading a novel when Meldon
found him. He received a severe lecture for not attending church,
which seemed to surprise him a good deal, especially as his absence was
attributed by Meldon to shame and a consciousness of guilt, feelings
from which Simpkins had never in his life suffered. Then--and this
seemed to astonish him still more--he was warmly invited to go for a
day's yachting in the _Spindrift_.

"I didn't hear," he said doubtfully, "that Major Kent was going away."

"He isn't," said Meldon. "Don't I tell you he's giving a picnic in his
yacht?"

"Are you sure he wants me?"

"Certain. He sent you an invitation, which is a plain proof that he
wants you. He would have delivered it himself, only that Miss King
caught him after church and carried him off to luncheon. But I have
one of his cards with me, and if you insist on everything being done in
the most accurate and correct possible manner, I'll leave it on the
umbrella stand in your hall as I go out."

Meldon had provided himself with a few of the Major's visiting cards
before leaving Portsmouth Lodge in the morning. He was a man who
prided himself on leaving nothing to chance. Since it was just
possible that the cards might turn out to be useful, he had put a few
in his pocket.

"In fact," he went on, "to prevent any possible mistake or
misunderstanding I may as well hand it over to you at once." He
produced a card, slightly crumpled and a good deal soiled, from his
waistcoat pocket, and laid it on Simpkins' knee. Simpkins looked at it
doubtfully, took it up in his hand,