r. "Private? Then it
oughtn't to be--that's all I say. But what in thunder are ye doing it
for?"

"Oh, get you gone, man!" groaned Clatworthy. "I've an appointment to
keep!"

"Not in that state, sure-ly?"

"No, sir! But how am I to get out of this and dress, till you lead off
the women? And your cursed intrusion has made me fill my hair with mud,
and to cleanse and dress it again will cost me half an hour at least.
Man, man, for pity's sake get out of this and take your women with you!
Sir, when I tell you that in less than twenty minutes I am due to be at
Merry-Garden--if you know where that is--"

"_To_ be sure," put in Mr. Jope.

"--To meet a company of ladies--"

"Avast there! Why, 'tis less than a half-hour ago they turned _me_ out o'
that very place. _You_--and in _that_ state! Oh, be ashamed o'
yourself!"

But just then a patient behind Clatworthy set up a yell so full of terror
that even the doctor slewed round his head and splashed more mud over his
hair, all combed as it was in full pigeon-wing style.

"Bill!" said Mr. Jope, sharp-like. "Bill Adams! What are you doin' with
that there water-pot?"

"Helpin'," said Bill. "Helpin' 'em to grow!"

VI.

'Tis time, though, that we went back to Merry-Garden.

The rising tide--and I ought to have told you that the tides that day were
close upon the top of the springs, with high-water at five o'clock or
thereabouts--the rising tide had barely carried Mr. Jope and his party
from Nandy's sight, round the bend, before another boatload of
pleasure-seekers hove in sight at the mouth of the creek. They were
twelve in all, and the boat a twenty-foot galley belonging to one of the
war-ships in the Hamoaze. She had been borrowed for the afternoon by the
ship's second lieutenant, a Mr. Hardcastle, and with him he had brought
the third lieutenant, besides a score of young officers belonging to the
garrison--a captain and two cornets of the 4th Dragoons, a couple of
gunners--officers, that is, of the Artillery--an elderly major and an
ensign of the Marines, and the rest belonging to the Thirty-second
Regiment of Foot (one of 'em, if I recollect, the Doctor). The last of
the party was a slip of an officer of the French Navy--Raynold by name--
that had been taken prisoner by Mr. Hardcastle's ship, and bore no malice
for it: a cheerful, good-natured lad, and (now that he hadn't an excuse
for fighting 'em) as merry with these young Britons as they were