Something of real importance
must have happened between Simpkins and Miss King. I wonder what it
is."

"Catch the punt, J. J., and haul her aft till you get a hold of the
buoy. If we drift past we'll never get back again. There's barely
steerage way on the boat this minute."

Meldon stepped forward. There was a noise of straining ropes and
splashing. Then he stood upright and pulled the buoy on board.

"Unless something exceptionally interesting has occurred," said Meldon,
"I can't understand Callaghan waiting for us like this. Perhaps
they've got engaged."

"Nonsense," said the Major; "how could they in two days? Let go the
peak halyards, and take a pull on the topping lift."

The sail came slowly down. Major Kent and Meldon leaned across the
gaff and dragged at the folds of it. Callaghan hailed the yacht from
the shore.

"Hold on," said Meldon. "Keep what you've got to say till I come to
you. I can't have the details of an interesting love affair shouted
across a stretch of water."

The sails were made up and the yacht safely moored. Meldon hustled
Major Kent into the punt, and pulled rapidly for the beach. The punt's
keel grated on the gravel. Meldon seized the painter in his hand and
leaped ashore.

"Now," he said to Callaghan, "trot out your news. Have they got
engaged?"

"They have not," said Callaghan.

"Then I suppose there must have been what you call impropriety of
conduct. If so--"

"There has not," said Callaghan.

"That's just as well; for if there had been, I should have had to ask
you to wait before giving me details until the Major had gone a good
bit of the way home. He's an unmarried man, and I don't think it would
be good for him to--"

"There was no impropriety of conduct that I seen," said Callaghan.

"Well, it can't be helped. I should have been glad, of course, to hear
that Simpkins had been pushing his way on a bit, holding her hand or
something of that kind. I suppose, now, if anything of the sort
occurred you'd be sure to have seen it."

"Don't I tell you there wasn't," said Callaghan; "nor there couldn't
have been, for Simpkins wasn't near the place since the afternoon you
was in it yourself."

"What! Do you mean to say--?"

"He was in it the once," said Callaghan, "not long after you leaving,
and barring that she gave him a cup of tea there was nothing passed
between them, and I wouldn't say he was there half an hour."

"Do you hear that, Major?