account of the accident.

"It's not in the least your fault," Evelyn interrupted, at last, as Jeff
came to a pause with a repetition of his self-condemnation. "It's mine,
if anybody's. I should have taken the whole thing to Mrs. Churchill at
once, instead of trying to keep it quiet."

"My meeting her down there alone was entirely my plan," began Jeff
again; but this time it was his sister Charlotte who interrupted.

"Neither of you is in the least to blame, my dears," she said, smiling
on them both. "You had the best of motives, and the plan might have
worked out well but for the child's sudden mad idea of jumping into that
boat. I suppose she meant to row away."

"She didn't stop to cast off--she couldn't have got away before I should
have been in the boat, too," objected Jeff.

"That simply shows how out of her head with excitement she was. But
that's all over. She mercifully wasn't drowned"--a little involuntary
shiver passed over the speaker--"and we'll hope for no serious
consequences. The thing now is to think how to act when she wakes in the
morning."

"I should say treat the whole thing for what it is, a childish escapade.
Show her the silliness of it, and then let it drop," said Doctor
Churchill.

Charlotte looked at him appealingly.

"Lucy and Ran go home next week," she said, slowly. "I hoped--I wanted
so much to send Lucy away with--I can't express it--a little bit higher
ideals than any she has known before. I thought we were succeeding; she
has seemed more considerate and less fault-finding."

"She certainly has," Evelyn agreed quickly, and the two looked at each
other. There was an instant's silence; then Just spoke:

"How do you know but you'll find her quite a different proposition when
she wakes up? A plunge like that is a sobering sort of experience, I
should say, for a girl who can't swim. She may be the meekest thing on
earth after this. If it does her as much good as a lively dressing down
did George Jarvis, she's likely to be a changed girl."

They could not help smiling at the satisfaction in the boy's voice. "He
may be right," admitted Doctor Churchill.

"At any rate, if Lucy isn't ill to-morrow let's tell nobody what has
happened. The poor child certainly doesn't need any more humiliation
just at present, and I'd like to spare her all I can." Charlotte spoke
decidedly.

They agreed to this. Evelyn went to her place beside Lucy, planning an
affectionate greeting when the younger