was above reproach. Miss Elting chided herself for having formed a wrong
opinion of the man. Still she could not overcome her irritation at his
evident reluctance in getting the boat ready.

It was quite late in the afternoon when Dee appeared at the hotel, red
of face, his clothes soiled and wet.

"Well, we got the old thing," was his greeting.

"Is the boat here?" inquired the guardian coldly.

"Yes, Miss Elting. It's down at Johnson's dock this very minute. You can
go down there and look at it. I've got some business to--"

"Please go with us. There will be things about it which we shall wish to
ask you. Does the boat leak much?"

He shook his head.

"It's all right," he said. "I can't spare the time to go to-day."

"If I might venture to offer to pay you for your trouble," suggested the
guardian, not certain whether he would resent her offer of money.
Dickinson, however, was not easily insulted.

"Of course, if--if you wish, I--yes, of course," he mumbled.

Miss Elting handed him two dollars. Dickinson led the way down to the
dock, though without enthusiasm.