ignal to you as
soon as I'm ready to start, and then you go over and wake Miss King."

"I wouldn't like to do it. I'd be ashamed, for fear she might think I
was taking a liberty."

"I don't want you to go and shake her," said Meldon, "or pour cold
water over her, or anything of that sort. Just take your scythe over
close to where she is, and as soon as ever I give the signal, you begin
to scrape the blade of it with your stone and whistle a tune at the
same time as loud as you can."

"'The Wearing of the Green,' or the like?"

"Not 'The Wearing of the Green.' It's a melancholy, soothing sort of
tune which would probably only make her sleep sounder. Whistle a good
lively jig."

"I will," said Callaghan.

Meldon walked away. When he reached the house he stood on the top step
of the flight which leads to the hall door and waved his pocket
handkerchief. Callaghan picked up his scythe cautiously, and went on
tip-toe across to Miss King's hammock. He did not wish to disturb her
prematurely. Then, his hone in one hand and his scythe in the other,
he stood and watched Meldon, The handkerchief waved again, and Meldon
started walking briskly across the lawn. The hone rasped harshly
against the scythe blade, and "The Irish Washerwoman" rang out shrilly.
Miss King woke with a start. Callaghan turned away from her, and still
whistling vigorously, began to mow. Meldon hurried forward.

"How do you do, Miss King?" he said. "I happened to be passing the
gate and I just called in to see how you are getting on, and to see
whether there is anything I can do for you."

Miss King blinked, got her feet out of the hammock, sat up, and shook
hands with Meldon.

"It's very kind of you. Won't you come inside and have some tea, or
shall I get them to bring it out here?"

"No, thanks. No tea for me. I haven't time to stay; and besides, I've
had luncheon with Mr. Doyle. You know what that means."

"No," said Miss King. "I don't."

"Well, I needn't go into details," said Meldon; "but as a matter of
fact when you've lunched with Mr. Doyle you don't want anything more to
drink for a long time. By the way, you're not looking out for a cook
just at present, are you?"

"No, I'm not. What made you think I was?"

"People generally are," said Meldon. "In fact, I've hardly ever met
any one who wasn't. I happen just now to know of a really excellent
girl, called Sabina. With a little training she'd make a first-rate
co