sauntering off by himself, to avoid the trouble of
speaking to any one. Thus summoned, Alfred was compelled to return,
when Mary, with a merry laugh, put a bundle of knives and forks into his
hands, and told him to go and arrange some on the opposite side of the
cloth. The picnic had been got up by some of the principal people in
the parish, as a compliment to their former vicar, as also for the
purpose of enabling his successor to become acquainted with them in an
easy and pleasant way. Sir Reginald and Lady Bygrave had been invited,
but had not yet arrived, and it would, of course, have been uncourteous
to commence luncheon, hungry as everybody was, till they appeared. The
party had, in the meantime, to amuse themselves according to their
tastes; some of the ladies had brought their sketch-books, others their
work--though the greater number preferred doing nothing.

The ever busy Lieutenant Sims had sent off to the yacht for an iron pot,
which he filled up with potatoes and salt water, and having called some
of the young gentlemen to assist him in collecting a quantity of dry
wood which was seen scattered along the beach, he made a large fire, and
put on the pot to boil. "Now, by boys, take a lesson from an old tar,"
he observed. "Whenever you want to cook potatoes to perfection, boil
them in salt water if you can get it, or if not, put in plenty of salt,
and let them remain till the water has evaporated. You will then have
them come out like lumps of meal, as these will, you'll see, before
long."

Harry had soon stolen off, and joined Clara and his father. The latter
shortly after left the young people to themselves, while he went back to
meet Captain Maynard and Mr Lennard, who were strolling along the
beach.

"I feel perfectly satisfied with my successor, as far as I am able at
present to judge," observed Mr Lennard. "He is a wonderfully zealous
and earnest man. He shows an evident desire to make himself popular,
and to win the affections of the people; and I cannot blame him if he
seems surprised that I have not introduced some of the more modern
improvements in churches."

"For my part, I hope that what he calls improvements will not follow the
direction of the changes which have been made in some parishes,"
observed General Caulfield. "There are many who would object to them,
as I should myself, and they can produce no real good."

"New brooms sweep clean," said Mr Lennard. "He naturally wishes