ouched it."

"Master Willie, Master Willie," expostulated Groves, "don't be angry; I
only thought you might have been up to a bit of fun, and I was
mistaken."

"Then, George--O George!" exclaimed my cousin, grasping him by the arm,
"she _must_ have gone out to sea;" and he tried hard to gulp down his
feelings; "you know the harbour-bar is down."

"And I should like to know how it came to be down," said George,
severely. A new idea evidently passed all in a moment through my
cousin's mind. With a fiery flashing in his eyes that I had never seen
in him before, he turned suddenly upon me.

"You naughty, wicked boy," he said.

"You didn't touch the boat you say; but you didn't like my having it;
you didn't like its being mine, because it was better than yours, and
had two masts; and so you let down the bar, and--and she's got out to
sea and is lost!" And so saying he burst into a passionate fit of tears.

It is difficult to say which of us was the most surprised by this
unlooked-for accusation of Aleck's. I had never seen my cousin in such a
temper before, but was far too conscious of the wrong part I had acted
to be able at once to answer with a protest of innocence. So that in the
very short space of time which was occupied by George telling Aleck the
case was not hopeless, and the vessel might be found yet, and that he'd
be sorry for the wrong words he had said to me, a rapid controversy
passed silently between me and my conscience somewhat in this wise:--

_Conscience._--"You know that what he said is true about your not liking
his having the schooner, and you know you wanted it to get lost."
_Answer._--"But I can say with perfect truth that I did not touch it _or
the rope_."

_Conscience._--"You know if you had called off Frisk the schooner would
not have been lost." _Answer._--"But I never _saw_ Frisk unloose the
ring; and I can say, with truth, that until just now I did not _know_
that it was not safe."

_Conscience._--"That will be a lie all the same. You have often been
told that what makes a lie is the intention to deceive, and not the
words only." _Answer._--"What's the use of telling now that I really am
very sorry it has happened. It's not any good confessing to Aleck that I
might have prevented it. After all, it was Frisk who did it, and I did
not even see Frisk do it. And Aleck's in such a towering passion; I
could never face him and have him know the whole."

_Conscience_, more feebly.--"That's b