d
southward and entered the town to wander about till he could decide what
to do.

It was the 3rd of September, but the King's watering-place still retained
its summer aspect. The royal bathing-machine had been drawn out just as
Bob reached Gloucester Buildings, and he waited a minute, in the lack of
other distraction, to look on. Immediately that the King's machine had
entered the water a group of florid men with fiddles, violoncellos, a
trombone, and a drum, came forward, packed themselves into another
machine that was in waiting, and were drawn out into the waves in the
King's rear. All that was to be heard for a few minutes were the slow
pulsations of the sea; and then a deafening noise burst from the interior
of the second machine with power enough to split the boards asunder; it
was the condensed mass of musicians inside, striking up the strains of
'God save the King,' as his Majesty's head rose from the water. Bob took
off his hat and waited till the end of the performance, which, intended
as a pleasant surprise to George III. by the loyal burghers, was possibly
in the watery circumstances tolerated rather than desired by that
dripping monarch. {303}

Loveday then passed on to the harbour, where he remained awhile, looking
at the busy scene of loading and unloading craft and swabbing the decks
of yachts; at the boats and barges rubbing against the quay wall, and at
the houses of the merchants, some ancient structures of solid stone,
others green-shuttered with heavy wooden bow-windows which appeared as if
about to drop into the harbour by their own weight. All these things he
gazed upon, and thought of one thing--that he had caused great misery to
his brother John.

The town clock struck, and Bob retraced his steps till he again
approached the Esplanade and Gloucester Lodge, where the morning sun
blazed in upon the house fronts, and not a spot of shade seemed to be
attainable. A huzzaing attracted his attention, and he observed that a
number of people had gathered before the King's residence, where a brown
curricle had stopped, out of which stepped a hale man in the prime of
life, wearing a blue uniform, gilt epaulettes, cocked hat, and sword, who
crossed the pavement and went in. Bob went up and joined the group.
'What's going on?' he said.

'Captain Hardy,' replied a bystander.

'What of him?'

'Just gone in--waiting to see the King.'

'But the captain is in the West Indies?'

'No. The fleet