hip had fallen from a mast, and he told me that he
went over and over; the first time he went over seemed quite a long
time, and between that and the second time he seemed to remember almost
everything he had ever cared about much in all his life, but after the
second going over he never knew anything until he found himself lying in
the cabin, and the doctor setting his arm, which had been broken in the
fall, though he never felt it."

"I'll be bound he felt it enough when the doctor got to work upon him,"
remarked George.

"Yes; but he didn't feel it when it broke," returned Aleck, who wished
to establish his point.

By this time the stately kite was lying on the grass. I lifted it up,
and we started in procession for the Cove, Aleck acting train-bearer to
the long tail, and winding it up as he went along; and Groves and Ralph
carrying the hamper.

Another moment, and we were in sight of the Cove. My heart was beating
violently, and I felt the crimson flush mount suddenly to my face, and
then leave it again; but no one else noticed it, and as yet I could not
see to the harbour-bar, so as to know whether the ship were safe or not.
The little creek in which it had been left was, however, full in view,
and Aleck instantly observed that his new treasure was not there.

But there was an entire absence of uneasiness in his tone, as he quietly
remarked,--

"I suppose you put it into the boat-house lest it should be blown about
whilst we were away;" and without waiting for an answer he placed the
rolled-up tail of the kite in my hand, and ran forwards to look into the
boat-house for it.

It was in vain, however, that he searched first my miniature boat-house,
and then every nook and corner of the real one.

"It's not there," he said. "I thought you must have put it away."

"I never said so," I answered; and then a bright thought coming to me,
as to what would be an impregnable position to take up in all future
inquiry, I boldly added, "I never touched it after you went away."

"Where can it be, then?" said Aleck; and yet, though it was clearly a
hopeless task, we once again looked carefully for the missing treasure
in both boat-houses. There was the "Fair Alice," my own beautiful little
vessel, that had seemed the most perfect thing of its kind, until the
arrival of the new one; but the other was nowhere to be found.

"Tell you what, Master Gordon," said old George, "the wind's been
uncommon shifting and fanciful