of one's own affairs.

At Sandsgaard he found the whole house in an uproar. On the second floor
the furniture was being moved, dusting was going on, and candles were
being put in the chandeliers. Downstairs the table was already laid for
supper; only the old gentlemen's bedrooms and the offices were
respected; and in the window of the still-room he noticed jellies and
blancmanges, which had been put there to cool.

"Oh dear me! what a bustle it all is!" said Mrs. Garman, faintly.

She had had her armchair moved into a room at the side of the kitchen,
where the dishing-up was done.

Here she remained the whole day, and had samples of everything that was
cooked in the kitchen brought to her. The kitchen-maids were as nervous
as if they had been undergoing an examination.

Miss Cordsen was everywhere, prim and noiseless as usual, and without
wasting a word, she gave an eye to the vast amount of knives and forks,
lights and silver, glass and china. Everything was arranged in her
experienced head, from the ladies' cloak-room to the supper for the
musicians.

But if there was a busy stir in the house, it was even greater down at
the ship-yard. Tom Robson had kept his promise, and the ship stood trim
and ready, "as a bride," as he put it. And now the whole staff of
workmen were occupied in getting everything in order for the morrow, and
clearing out the yard, so that it might look tidy and neat when all the
visitors came to see the ship "go."

"What time will it be high water, Mr. Robson?" asked the young Consul,
as he and Uncle Richard were making an inspection of the ship-yard in
the afternoon.

"At half-past ten, sir," answered the foreman.

"Very well, then, let me see that you have everything ready to-morrow at
half-past ten, on the stroke, you understand--at half-past ten on the
stroke."

"All right, sir!" said Mr. Robson, touching his cap.

But Tom Robson was not going to leave anything till the morning. That
evening he had every intention of making a night of it, and Martin had
already got the money to make some extensive purchases. There would be
time enough to sleep it off before half-past ten. He was careful to have
everything ready that evening. The ways were carefully smeared with
tallow and soft soap, and put in their places; the props were all ready
to be removed; and everything that might get in the way in the harbour,
was hauled out of the way and secured to its moorings.

The ship lay with her