table. "I wish you wouldn't do that so suddenly.
It gives me a start. Do you feel bad?"

"Great Scott! it's gone."

"The pain?"

"Our boat. I tied it up to this post."

"You can't have done. What's that boat over there! That looks like
ours."

"No, it isn't. That was there when we came. I noticed it. I tied ours
up here, to this post."

"This is a shade awkward," said Dunstable thoughtfully. "You must have
tied it up jolly rottenly. It must have slipped away and gone
down-stream. This is where we find ourselves in the cart. Right among
the ribstons, by Jove. I feel like that Frenchman in the story, who
lost his glasses just as he got to the top of the mountain, and missed
the view. Altogezzer I do not vish I 'ad kom."

"I'm certain I tied it up all right. And--why, look! here's the rope
still on the pole, just as I left it."

For the first time Dunstable seemed interested.

"This is getting mysterious. Did we hire a rowing-boat or a submarine?
There's something on the end of this rope. Give it a tug, and see.
There, didn't you feel it?"

"I do believe," said Linton in an awed voice, "the thing's sunk."

They pulled at the rope together. The waters heaved and broke, and up
came the nose of the boat, to sink back with a splash as they loosened
their hold.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth--" said Dunstable, wiping
his hands. "If you ask me, I should say an enemy hath done this. A boat
doesn't sink of its own accord."

"Albert!" said Linton. "The blackguard must have followed us up and
done it while we were at tea."

"That's about it," said Dunstable. "And now--how about getting home?"

"I suppose we'd better walk. We shall be hours late for lock-up."

"You," said Dunstable, "may walk if you are fond of exercise and aren't
in a hurry. Personally, I'm going back by river."

"But--"

"That looks a good enough boat over there. Anyhow, we must make it do.
One mustn't be particular for once."

"But it belongs--what will the other fellow do?"

"I can't help _his_ troubles," said Dunstable mildly, "having
enough of my own. Coming?"

* * * * *

It was about ten minutes later that Sheen, approaching the waterside in
quest of his boat, found no boat there. The time was a quarter to six,
and lock-up was at six-thirty.

XIII

DEUS EX MACHINA

It did not occur to Sheen immediately that his boat had actually gone.
The full beauty of the situation was som