'Muster Geoff, he've come, ma'am!' said he presently, peering in the
room.

'Oh, has he? Where is he, Binks?'

'He've stepped round to the stable for Splutters and Shutters, ma'am,
that's where he be. B'ys is never content without the dogs arter them.
I dunno where t'other young muster is, but the ladies is on their way
across in their boat,' added Binks, shading his eyes to gaze out over
the water.

'I know they are,' said Mrs. Vesey; 'I've been watching them. I saw
them start from the Bunk pier. The boat's pretty well into the middle
of the bay, now. Can't you see them, Binks?'

There was no answer.

Perhaps Binks resented the question, or perhaps he objected to admit
that his eyesight was not so good as that of his mistress. Anyhow, he
continued perfectly silent as he gazed, with a fixed stare, at some
distant object.

'Hi, Splutters! Heel, Shutters! Come back, sir! Oh, Binks, really I
couldn't prevent them coming round on the lawn; they were too much for
me when I opened the stable door. Oh, good afternoon, Mrs. Vesey! I
didn't know you were at the window.' Polite Geoff, heated and flushed
with his chase after the excitable terriers, stood hat in hand under
the window while Splutters and Shutters tore madly up and down and
across the lawn. Strangely enough, Binks took no notice of their
capers, which, for once, were allowed to go unrebuked. His eyes,
shaded by his wrinkled hand, were still intent on the distant boat.

'Theo and Queenie are on their way, Mrs. Vesey,' continued Geoff. 'I
see the Bunk boat creeping over; they seem in no particular hurry.
Don't you see them, Binks?' demanded the boy, rather astonished at the
old man's stillness. 'Why, I can see them waving something--a long red
thing. They certainly don't get on very fast, though, do they?
Why--why, Binks! Oh, what on earth's the matter? Something's wrong
with the boat; they're so still and---- Binks, _what_ is it?' Geoff
ended with a shout that was almost a scream, as he clutched the old
man's arm wildly.

'Come along, Muster Geoff!' Binks roughly shook off the boy's hand.
'Run for your life; you're fleeter than me. Shove down our boat into
the water, and I'll folly ye quick's ever I can!' roared the old man.
'They're sinkin' out there fast as fast. God help us all!'

Faster than ever he ran in his life tore Geoff, with a face blanched
and drawn, to seize the Vicarage boat, and push her to the water's
edge, putting f