the best of the summer is over, just like printers who lie in bed all
day and work all night."

"Don't say a word against printers," said the old gentleman laughing.
"That won't do, will it Leonard?"

"No, father," the youth replied.

"So, as I was saying," Rowles went on, "he comes here every August and
September, and letters come by the bushel with Q.C. on them; and young
Walker--the postman, you know--would just as soon he staid in London.
But before August and after September Mrs. Rowles has a tidy little
sitting-room and bed-room, if so be as you know anyone would be likely
to take them."

"I was only thinking," said the gentleman, "that the hotel is rather
too expensive--"

By this time the boat had floated near to the lower gates.

"Hold her up! hold her up!" cried Rowles, "or I can't open the gates.
Not you, sir," he added to the stranger who was sculling the other
boat; "but you, I mean, Mr. Robert."

For Rowles had caught the name of the servant who was so persevering
on the river.

"All right," returned Roberts; "give Mr. Burnet the ticket, please."

Rowles stooped down and gave the old gentleman the ticket for the
lock, and then the two boats passed out into the open stream. The
lock-keeper went indoors to ask if dinner was ready.

"Quite ready," was Mrs. Rowles's cheerful reply. "Call the children
in, will you, Ned?"

He went out by the backdoor into the garden, and saw how the sky was
clouding up from the south-west. "Rain coming; bring on the
scarlet-runners and the marrows. Phil-lip! Emil-ly! Jule-liet! Come in
to dinner."

Then Philip appeared, hot and tired from digging; and Emily came with
some needlework at which she had been stitching in the intervals of
watching her brother. The holidays had begun, and they were thoroughly
enjoyed by these children.

"And where is Juliet?"

"I don't know," answered Emily.

"Well, you must bring her in. Mother says dinner is quite ready."

"I think she must be in our bed-room," and Emily went upstairs to seek
her cousin, and to wash her own dusty little hands.

But Juliet was not in the attic.

"Then she must have gone into the lodgers' rooms," said Mrs. Rowles.

But there was no sign of her in those shut-up rooms; no sign of her
anywhere in the house, nor in the garden, nor on the eyot at all, nor
on the towing-path as far as could be seen.

"What can have become of her?"

CHAPTER VI.

MISSING!

"Well, well," said Mr. Rowle