hands with ready obedience. Elsie was only
two or three yards away, and he was content.

A few moments later Miss Kilner rose and took Jamie by the hand; and at
the same instant Mrs. Verdon gave a sudden exclamation.

"I have left my little white shawl in the boat!" she cried. "It's a dear
little shawl. I wouldn't lose it for the world."

"I will get it for you," Elsie said readily. "Jamie and I are going down
to the boat before he says 'Good-night.'"

"Oh, thanks!" Mrs. Verdon responded gratefully; and then she glanced at
Arnold, as if she expected him to sit down beside her on the grass.

But he remained standing bolt upright for a second. Then he took a
stride in Elsie's direction. "I think I'll look after the shawl myself,"
he was heard to say. "Giles's old brain is apt to get confused after any
kind of excitement."

Francis Ryan made an uneasy movement, but he was tied and bound with the
skein of yarn; and Mrs. Lennard, winding steadily, was smiling into his
eyes.

The hand which held Jamie unconsciously tightened its grasp, and the boy
looked up in surprise.

"Why do you squeeze me so hard, Elsie?" he asked. "I ain't going to run
away."

She did not reply; her heart was throbbing fast, and Arnold found that
even the most commonplace remark stuck in his throat somehow. They
walked for some yards together in silence.

"I hope you have had a pleasant day," he said at last.

"Very pleasant," she answered; "and Jamie has been the best of good
boys."

"Yes, I've been very good indeed," remarked that gentleman in a tone of
self-congratulation. "And I didn't eat too much, did I?"

"Well, there was the cherry tart; I had to take away your second
plateful."

Arnold laughed, and the laugh seemed to set them at ease again.

They walked on quickly over the starry yellow flowers in the grass. The
bright day would have a golden ending; already there were amber lights
shining calmly on the river.

Giles, half asleep at the landing-stage, looked up as they approached,
and drew the back of his hand across his tired old eyes. Arnold seemed
to be moved by a sudden impulse.

"There's a white shawl left in the boat," he said. "Take it back to Mrs.
Verdon, Giles, at once. You'll find her somewhere under the beeches.
Now, Jamie, I'll pull across to the island myself. Step in, Miss
Kilner."

It did not occur to Elsie to disobey him. A minute after, when they were
floating out upon the water, she thought that she ha