We had not resumed our search very long, when Aleck declared that he saw
something white in the distance which he thought was the little vessel.
We all eagerly turned our eyes in the direction indicated, and although
no one felt very sure that we had at last discovered the object of our
search, there was sufficient uncertainty to make us eager in pursuit. We
had to tack frequently, but at last reached the little white thing which
inspired our hopes, and, alas! discovered that it was only a whitened
branch of a tree washed out from shore, on which the wet leaves
glistened and shone in the afternoon sun. It was a fresh disappointment
to us all, and the time our chase had occupied prevented the possibility
of any further research. Even as it was, we were quite late in reaching
the Cove, and found that my father had been on the watch for us with his
telescope, and had been greatly perplexed by the erratic character of
our movements.

Of course he was instantly told the tragical history of our day. Aleck,
whose sorrow had been renewed by our fruitless search, did not hesitate
to lay emphasis upon the fact that I had been left alone at the Cove;
and I was quite startled by the quick abrupt manner in which my father
turned round to me and said,--

"Willie, did you meddle with the ship or the rope whilst Aleck was
away?"

But, thankful that the inquiry took this form, I was able to answer
unhesitatingly,--

"No, papa, I did not touch the boat once, or the rope either, this
morning, and it's very, very wrong of Aleck to say that I did."

Whilst Aleck, the dark angry look flashing once again from his eyes,
exclaimed,--

"I know he hated my having the yacht; I'm sure he wanted me to lose it."

Mr. Gordon, although as much shocked at this outburst as George had
been, was not disposed to treat the matter quite as he had done.

That both of us were guilty of wrong temper there could be no doubt, but
he saw also that there was still something to be cleared up; and instead
of quenching the subject by telling us we had both behaved badly, and
deserved to be unhappy, as is the self-indulgent custom of many grown-up
people in the matter of children's quarrels, he forbade any further
recrimination, and after dinner was over, calmly and quietly inquired
into every particular of our story, with as much care as if he had been
on his magistrate's bench in court, and this were a case of great
importance; first questioning Aleck, and th