cruise,
for he's only joined a few weeks, and I know nothing about his
character. He is a first-class navigator, however, and for an afternoon
in the Solent he'll do you very well."

"I'm sure we would not want to interfere with your plans, captain," said
his Lordship, "so if Miss Arminster agrees--"

"Oh my, yes," acquiesced Violet. "I don't care who takes the yacht out,
so long as we go."

"Right you are," said the captain. "Steam's up, and I've ordered lunch
on board, as I thought you'd want that anyway. I'll tell Funk, the
second mate, to run out into the Solent, and then you can give your own
orders. What time will you be back?"

"Oh, not later than six," replied the Bishop, as they stepped on board
Lord Downton's beautiful craft, the "Homing Pigeon."

She was a large boat and thoroughly seaworthy. Indeed her owner had made
a voyage in her to the Mediterranean, but she was built for speed also,
and decidedly rakish in cut.

They were at once introduced to the second mate, and Miss Arminster
thought she had seldom seen a more unprepossessing individual. He was
surly and shifty-eyed, and she confided to the Bishop, when they were
alone, that she was glad they were not going far from land under that
man's charge, for he looked like a pirate.

After glancing round the deck, which seemed charmingly arranged, they at
once descended to the cabin for lunch, for their little journey had made
them hungry. Here the captain left them with a few courteous words of
excuse. A moment later, as he was leaving the ship, he met two strangers
coming on board, laden with hand-baggage. They were, though unknown to
him, the journalist and the tramp. On asking them sharply what their
business was, Marchmont replied very glibly that he was his Lordship's
valet, and that he had hired this man to bring down the luggage from the
station.

"I don't think your master'll need his traps, as he's only going out for
the afternoon," said the captain. "But you'd better take them down to
the cabin, and see the porter gets off before they start. I don't allow
strangers aboard."

The valet touched his hat respectfully, and went up the gangway,
followed by the obsequious porter. A moment later they reached the deck,
and no sooner had the captain disappeared round a corner than both men
approached the second mate, with whom they had a hurried and earnest
conversation, followed by an interchange of something which that officer
transferred to h