s, "never mind; we must eat our dinners
without her. She would not miss her share of this cabbage if she knew
how tasty and juicy it is."

Mrs. Rowles sat down very unwillingly. If the child was not on the
island where could she be? It was very strange.

"She has no idea of time," Mr. Rowles went on, between mouthfuls of
the cabbage. "I'm not going to blame her for that; she only takes
after her father, who does not know day from night."

They had a dull meal, being more anxious about Juliet than they cared
to confess to each other. They thought she might have gone up the
towing-path, or down the towing-path, or by the road towards the
village, or by the fields towards the station. And at every sound from
outside someone went to the door peering out with the hope of seeing
the child. But an hour passed, and no Juliet appeared. Then her aunt
became seriously anxious, dreading lest some terrible thing should
have happened.

"If she had fallen into the lock--" said Mrs. Rowles.

"We should have heard her scream," said Mr. Rowles.

"If she had been kidnapped by gipsies," said Emily; "but then--"

"There are no gipsies about," said Philip.

Mrs. Rowles now began to think that Juliet must have set off to go
home. "We have not been kind enough to her, poor child, and she can't
bear it any longer."

"Don't talk nonsense," was Rowles's reply, as he obeyed a call to the
lock. "We've been too kind; and if Thomas Mitchell had taken to any
sensible business that did not keep him up all night, thereby breaking
down his health, he would be able to support his family, and there
would be no need for us to bother ourselves with such a cross-grained
girl as that. Now, Phil, off to your digging again. Yes, gents, I
know; how they do keep calling out for one, to be sure!"

Philip went out to the kitchen-garden. Within a few minutes his voice
was heard, loudly raised.

"Here! Father! Mother! Emily! Come quick! Just look here!"

All three responded to his call

"Whatever is the matter?"

"Why, look there! The boat is gone!"

"So she is! Well, I never!" and Mr. Rowles stared blankly at the post
to which his boat was usually moored. "Someone has made off with the
_Fairy_. That beats everything!"

Mrs. Rowles was wringing her hands. "Oh, dear, dear, dear! This is
worse than I expected. She never will come home again safe!"

"No," said the lock-keeper, "them that has took her are not likely to
send her back; and if so be as