"I do believe it's Mrs. Bosher's brother!"

"Over! over!" bawled the man, as if hailing a ferry-boat.

"Well, if that ain't a joke! I ain't the ferry. Here you, Phil, jump
into the _Fairy_ and go and see what that man wants."

So Phil played the part of the ferry and brought Mrs. Bosher's brother
to the lock-eyot.

He told his story. The previous evening he had met a young girl in the
wood, and as it was private property, he had warned her out of it.
Afterwards he found that she had gone to his sister's house, evidently
a runaway, and had engaged herself as a general servant. But Mrs.
Bosher, who was one that never took no rest, never even took off her
bonnet, saw through that girl, and knew right well that she had come
from the Littlebourne side of the river; and perhaps Mrs. Rowles could
state what family had lost a little maid-servant.

Yes, Mrs. Rowles could tell him all about Juliet; and after giving him
some breakfast sent him back in the _Fairy_ to his own side of the
river, with a request that Mrs. Bosher would take Juliet to the
station, where someone would meet the tiresome girl and convey her to
her home in London.

The big man promised to do all this, and went out with Rowles
intending to have a pipe and a gossip with him, when down came a boat
rowed by Leonard Burnet, and steered by the old master-printer; and
so the gossip was cut short, though not the pipe.

"I am not going through," said Mr. Burnet from the boat. "Help me to
land, Rowles; I want to have a talk with you. Who is that man?"
looking at the big person who had just gone off in the little _Fairy_.

"Oh, that is Mrs. Bosher's brother. I hope you are well, sir, and the
young gentleman; likewise Mr. Robert."

"Yes, thanks, Leonard and I are very well; but Roberts has a smart
touch of rheumatism, and will not come on the river to-day. May I sit
here, Rowles?" added Mr. Burnet, pointing to a seat under some small
trees.

"If you please, sir. Why, Emma, where are _you_ a-going?"

Mrs. Rowles curtsied to Mr. Burnet. "I am going, Ned, to the vicarage.
I heard say that Mr. and Mrs. Webster are going to London to-day, and
if they would take charge of Juliet it would save my time and money."

Mrs. Rowles hurried off, and caught Mrs. Webster, who most kindly
undertook the charge of Juliet if Mrs. Bosher should bring her to the
station, and to see her safe to her own home in London.

While Mrs. Rowles was absent on this errand, her husband w