an unpleasantly long while among
the rocks."

"We didn't miss you until supper," he explained. "Then I set off at once,
but I didn't know which way to look and the bush was pretty thick."
Stopping in the moonlight, he indicated his rent attire. "I think this
speaks for itself," he added humorously. "There's one consolation--the
things belong to Carew."

Millicent was glad that he was not going to be serious.

"I remember that you didn't bring much of an outfit," she replied. "I
suppose you had one. What became of it?"

"I left it behind, in pieces, on the thorns and rocks along a good many
leagues of trail; but it wasn't extensive--when you travel in this
country you have often to choose between food and clothes. It was
obviously impossible to buy any more, but the day before we reached camp
I made Crestwick cut my hair. After a look at myself in Nasmyth's
pocket-glass, I'm inclined to think he was unwarrantably proud of his
success."

After that they chatted lightly, until they walked into the glow of the
camp-fire, and while Bella and Miss Hume plied Millicent with questions
and congratulations, Lisle took up Nasmyth's repeating rifle and fired it
several times.

"That will bring the boys in," he explained. "Now I'll get Miss
Gladwyne's supper."

During the meal the others came back and when they had all assembled,
looking the worse for their scramble through the bush, Crestwick, who had
occasional lapses from good behavior, addressed them collectively.

"Wasn't I right?" he asked. "I offered anybody three to one that Lisle
would be the first to find her."

"Then you ought to be ashamed of it, after the expensive way in which
your confidence in your opinions has often been shown to be mistaken,"
declared Bella. "Besides, you promised me you wouldn't waste your money
that way again!"

"This time I was backing a moral certainty," Crestwick rejoined. "That
isn't gambling; if you're not convinced, you can ask the others on what
grounds they were so unwilling to take me."

Receiving no encouragement, he addressed Millicent, who was extremely
vexed with him.

"I suppose you know that you have given us all a good deal of anxiety.
You ought to feel contrite."

"I'm not sorry if I've given you a good deal of trouble," Millicent
retorted. "You were a long time in coming to my rescue."

"That," he exclaimed, "is just the kind of thing Bella used to delight in
saying, though I'll own that she's been much more c