t," he suggested, "why not let me motor you and Miss
Conyers down? I don't believe there's another fast train before one
o'clock, and we'd get down in a couple of hours, easily. It's just what
I'm longing for, a good stretch into the country."

"I should love it," the girl exclaimed, "and I should think Geraldine
would. Will you wait while I run in and see her?"

"Of course," Granet replied. "Here we are, and there's Miss Conyers at
the window. You go in and talk her over and I'll just see that we've got
lots of petrol. I'll have you down there within two hours, all right, if
we can get away before the roads are crowded."

She hurried into the house. Geraldine met her on the threshold and
they talked together for a few moments. Then Olive reappeared, her face
beaming.

"Geraldine would simply love it," she announced. "She will be here in
five minutes. Could we just stop at my house for a motor-coat?"

"Certainly!" Granet agreed, glancing at his watch. "This is absolutely
ripping! We shall be down there by one o'clock. Why is this to be
Conyers' last day for entertaining?"

"I don't know," she answered indifferently. "Some Admiralty regulation,
I suppose."

He sighed.

"After all," he declared, "I am not sure whether I chose the right
profession. There is so much that is mysterious about the Navy. They are
always inventing something or trying something new."

Geraldine came down the steps, waving her hand.

"This is the most delightful idea!" she exclaimed, as Granet held the
door open. "Do you really mean that you are going to take us down to
Portsmouth and come and see Ralph?"

"I am not going to worry your brother," he answered, smiling, "but I am
going to take you down to Portsmouth, if I may. We shall be there long
before you could get there by train, and--well, what do you think of my
new toy?"

"Simply wonderful," Geraldine declared. "Olive told me that your uncle
had just given it you. What a lucky person you are, Captain Granet!"

He laughed a little shortly as they glided off.

"Do you think so?" he answered. "Well, I am lucky in my uncle, at any
rate. He is one of those few people who have a great deal of money and
don't mind spending it. I was getting bored to death with my game
leg and arm, and certainly this makes one forget both of them. Six
cylinders, you see, Miss Conyers, and I wouldn't like to tell you what
we can touch if we were pressed."

"You won't frighten us," Geraldine assured