he least where we go. But this place is a bit
stony for sitting in for long. I'm beginning to feel already rather as
if a plougher had ploughed upon my back and made large furrows; but
of course I'm thinking principally of Frank on account of his sprained
ankle. A grassy couch would be much pleasanter for him, and there is
grass where we left the Primus stove. We can row; back. It isn't a very
long pull."

"The wind's dropped, Miss, with the fall of the tide," said Jimmy, "and
what's left of it has gone round to the southward."

"That settles it," said Priscilla. "Frank, you and Miss Rutherford, go
in the _Tortoise_. Jimmy and I will row the other boat and tow you."

"I can row all right," said Frank.

To be treated as incapable by Priscilla when they were alone together
was unpleasant but tolerable. To be held up as an object of scorn to
Miss Rutherford was not tolerable. He had already exposed himself to her
contempt by running her down. He was anxious to show her that he was not
altogether a fool in a boat.

"You can't, much," said Priscilla. "At least you didn't seem as if you
could yesterday; but if you like you can try. We'll take the oars out of
the _Tortoise_ into your boat, Jimmy, and pull four."

"I don't see how that could be, Miss, for there's only three seats in my
boat along with the one in the stern and you couldn't row from that."

"Don't be a fool, Jimmy. I'll pull two oars in the middle. Frank will
take one in the bow, and you'll pull stroke. Miss Rutherford will have
the _Tortoise_ all to herself."

Frank found it comparatively easy to row in Jimmy Kinsella's boat. The
oar was short and stumpy with a very narrow blade. It was worked between
two thole pins of which one was cracked and required tender treatment.
It was impossible to pull comfortably while sitting in the middle of
the seat; he still hit Priscilla in the back when he swung forward; but
there was no boom to hit him and there was no mast behind him to bump
his own back against Priscilla was too fully occupied managing her own
two oars to pay much attention to him. Jimmy Kinsella pulled away with
dogged indifference to what any one else was doing. Miss Rutherford sat
in the stern of the _Tortoise_ and shouted encouraging remarks from time
to time. She had, apparently, boated on the Thames at some time in her
life, for she was mistress of a good deal of rowing slang which she used
with vigour and effect. It cheered Frank greatly to he