ring smile was infinitely more provocative than his. "That will
be very interesting," she said.

Knight closed his sketch-book. "I am glad to know," he said
thoughtfully, "that you please yourself, Miss Columbine. In doing so,
you have the happy knack of pleasing--others."

He made her a slight, courtly bow, and turned away.

He left her still standing at the table, looking after him with
perplexity and gathering resolution in her eyes.

CHAPTER III

THE MINOTAUR

"Not stopping to supper even? Well, you must be a darned looney!"

Adam sat down astride his wood-block with the words, and looked up at
his son with the aggressive expression of a Scotch terrier daring a
Newfoundland.

Rufus, with his hands in his pockets, leaned against the woodshed. He
made no reply of any sort to his father's brisk observation. Obviously
it made not the faintest impression upon him.

After a moment or two he spoke, his pipe in the corner of his mouth. "If
that chap bathes off the Spear Point rocks when the tide's at the spring
he'll get into difficulties."

"Who says he does?" demanded Adam.

Rufus jerked his head. "I saw him--from my place--this afternoon. Tide
was going down, or the current would have caught him. Better warn him."

"I did," responded Adam sharply. "Warned him long ago. Warned him of the
quicksand, too."

Rufus grunted. "Then he's only himself to thank. Or maybe he doesn't
know a spring tide from a neap."

"Oh, he's not such a fool as that," said Adam.

Rufus grunted once again, and relapsed into silence.

It was at this point that Mrs. Peck showed her portly person at the back
door of The Ship.

"Why, Rufus," she said, "I thought you was in the front with Columbine."

Rufus stood up with the deference that he never omitted to pay to Adam's
wife. "So I was," he said. "I came along here after to talk to Adam."

Mrs. Peck's round eyes gave him a searching look. "Did you have your
mulberry wine?" she asked.

"Yes, Mother."

"You were mighty quick about it," commented Mrs. Peck.

"Yes, he's in a hurry," said Adam, with one of his birdlike glances.
"Can't stop for anything, missus. Wants to get back to his supper."

"I never!" said Mrs. Peck. "You aren't in that hurry, Rufus, surely!
Just as I was going to ask you to do something to oblige me, too!"

"What's that?" said Rufus.

Mrs. Peck descended into the yard with a hint of mystery. "Well, just
this," she said confidentially. "That the