ages. He collected his L4 15s., half the balance of the
rent, and departed, followed by the blessings of the entire family, save
those members who were already knee deep in the ocean just the other
side of the garden patch.

"This is simply splendid," said my wife, beaming at me in the way I
like; "it seems almost too good to be true."

She was right.

Next morning was magnificent. My wife went out to buy up the town. All
the rest of us plunged into the sea, except the servant, Amelia Blatt,
who was rapidly converting herself into a negress over the intricacies
of the strange little range in the kitchen.

One of the advantages of Sandybank Cottage was that from its proximity
to the beach you could use your bedroom as a bathing machine, assume
your marine costume therein, skip across the lawn, and be into the water
with a hop and a jump.

It was simply delightful, really almost too good to be true, as my wife
had said.

We all had a glorious bathe and a scamper on the sands, and then trooped
up to the cottage to dress. As we came up over the lawn I was surprised
to see a great heap of luggage, and two bicycles, lying around,
evidently all just discharged from a couple of retreating carriages.

[Illustration: "IT WAS LUDICROUS STANDING THERE IN A BATHING SUIT."]

I am an unusually modest man, and it was rather over-facing. There were
several ladies in the party and an elderly gentleman. They all turned
and watched our advent. The ladies looked put out at something. I feared
it might be at myself in my bathing costume. However, my foot was on my
native heath, so to speak, which was more than could be said of theirs,
so I put on as bold a face as could legitimately be expected of a modest
man in nothing but a bathing costume, and went forward. The old
gentleman also seemed disturbed, but he disguised his feelings to the
best of his power, and addressed me suavely.

"Been enjoying a last bathe?" he asked.

There was just a hint of "What the deuce do you mean by it, sir?" in his
tone.

"I beg your pardon?" I said.

"Couldn't refrain from one more dip, I suppose?" he said again, with a
forced smile. "Might I ask what time you are leaving? We understood--"

"Leaving?" I said, with some force. "Why, we only got here yesterday."

He gazed at me in blank astonishment, the ladies also.

"Oh," he said, soothingly, "there must be some mistake."

"I am not aware of any," I answered, somewhat brusquely.

It was lud