belongings, I couldn't have done it. You must hear how fortune
helped me, though. Mr. Dunster missed the train; so did I
--purposely. He ordered a special. I asked permission to travel
with him. I told him a lie as to how I had missed the train. I
hated it, but it was necessary."

Mr. Fentolin nodded approvingly.

"My dear boy," he said, "to trifle with the truth is always
unpleasant. Besides, you are a Fentolin, and our love of truth is
proverbial. But there are times, you know, when for the good of
others we must sacrifice our scruples. So you told Mr. Dunster a
falsehood."

"He let me travel with him," Gerald continued. "We were all night
getting about half-way here. Then--you know about the storm, I
suppose?"

Mr. Fentolin spread out his hands.

"Could one avoid the knowledge of it?" he asked. "Such a sight has
never been seen."

"We found we couldn't get to Harwich," Gerald went on. "They
telegraphed to London and got permission to bring us to Yarmouth.
We were on our way to Norwich, and the train ran off the line."

"An accident?" Mr. Fentolin exclaimed.

Gerald nodded.