ims of froth left by
each ripple of the tide, and under the redolent shelter of the boats
aforesaid their nurses and governesses, seated beneath sunshades,
gossipped, or looked up from the _Family Herald_ to inspect the passing
male stranger and grumble at the heat.

"Boat, sir?"

The hail, proceeded from a weather-beaten seafarer. I was beyond the
fishing craft by now, and in front lay, drawn up on the beach, a dozen
or so of rowing boats and--marvellous to relate--among them one, light
and an outrigger.

"Well, I feel like an hour's pull," I answered. "This one will do."

The salt looked out seaward a moment. Then he said--

"Well, sir, she be only good in smooth water, and it's that now. Be you
much in the way of boats, sir?"

"Rather," I answered readily, for I fancied myself in the sculling line,
it being one of my favourite forms of recreation. And I suppose I
looked my words, for my amphibious friend ran the pair-oar down into the
water without more ado.

Though not a skiff, the craft was light and well built, and in a very
few moments I was sending her over the smooth waters of the bay at a
pace which should soon render the village of Whiddlecombe Regis a mere
blur against a wall of green hillside and crimson-clad down--and that
without any effort. The exhilaration of it was glorious--the swift easy
glide, the free open sea, the cloudless blue sky above, and the racing
headlands. Beyond these other promontories appeared; only to be merged
in their turn into the spreading extent of the fast-receding coastline.
The boat went beautifully. I had got her over half a dozen miles in no
time. I would make it a round dozen straight out; then back--and get in
at dusk, in nice time for dinner.

What an ass Bindley was to come down to a place like this merely for the
fun of going to sleep, I thought, as I skimmed onwards; and then it
occurred to me that as this was the only craft of the kind on the beach,
I should have missed the splendid exhilaration afforded by my present
exercise, as she was certainly not built to carry two, and I had
thoughts of hiring her for the time I should be down here, so as to
ensure always being able to take her out when wanted.

I had, as near as could be judged by time, about accomplished my
prescribed dozen miles, and was pulling the boat round to return, when
in spite of the exercise I felt chilly. Then as I faced out to seaward
and perceived the cause I felt chillier st