s!" she said. "Our medical friend has succeeded in providing
another doctor with as pretty a case of water-on-the-knee--to say
nothing of other complications--as he could desire. My only comfort
is, he didn't get the charge himself."

"But you have seen a specialist, surely?" exclaimed French, who feared
her hatred of physicians might have prevented her calling in proper
aid.

"Don't distress yourself," she answered. "McTorture has me fast in his
clutches; and for how long do you suppose? Two months! He will promise
nothing short of two months, and even then objects to my going abroad,
and the yacht ready to start this very week! I am waiting for Bob to
come into lunch, to get him to send for the sailing master and break
the news to him. He'll be a disappointed man!"

"I will take the yacht off your hands," said Stephen, casually.

"You!" she exclaimed. "Are you running away _from_ or _with_ anybody,
that you suddenly annex an ocean steamer? You were prosing only
yesterday afternoon about work and duty, as if nothing could separate
you from Harmouth. Is the attraction going to bolt with you, Stevie?"

Stephen could have killed her as she lay there, allowing her tongue
free play with his most intimate concerns, but the respect due to an
old woman, to say nothing of an aunt, restrained his anger, and he
answered, coldly:

"If you want to get rid of the yacht for the rest of the year, say so.
My friend, Simeon Ponsonby, is lost in the wilderness of Patagonia,
and I am organizing a party to search for him. I shall have to resign
my work at Harmouth, but I feel responsible for poor Ponsonby's fate;
I sent him on the expedition."

"Ah! did you?" she said, laughing wickedly. "Poor Uriah has been
disposed of, and now the lady sends you to look for his bones. Don't
look too hard, Stevie, you might find he wasn't lost, after all!"

"Stop!" cried French, springing to his feet. "How dare you make a jest
of other people's misfortunes? Is there so little decency among your
associates that you no longer recognize it when you see it?"

She had the grace to look ashamed.

"Take the yacht, my dear," she said, kindly, "and if the expense is
too great for your income, you can draw on me for what you like. Can't
you stand a little teasing from your old aunt?"

"I will take the yacht, and pay for it," said French. "As for the
teasing, we seem to have different ideas about what is amusing."

"Then forgive me," she pleaded, and t