forward to cruising about among the Channel Islands, and to St. Malo,
and all those places. Oh no; I think the other is much the better
plan--that is, if you won't take us with you."

"It would be bad manners to say that I won't, Mrs. Grantham; but I must
say I would rather not. It will be a very short separation. Grantham
will take you on shore at once, and as soon as the boat comes back I
shall be off. You will start in the steamer this evening, and get into
Jersey at nine or ten o'clock to-morrow morning; and if I am not there
before you, I shall not be many hours after you."

"Well, if it must be it must," Mrs. Grantham said, with an air of
resignation. "Come, Minnie, let us put a few things into a hand-bag for
to-night. You see the skipper is not to be moved by our pleadings."

"That is the worst of you married women, Fanny," Miss Graham said, with
a little pout. "You get into the way of doing as you are ordered. I call
it too bad. Here have we been cruising about for the last fortnight,
with scarcely a breath of wind, and longing for a good brisk breeze and
a little change and excitement, and now it comes at last, we are to be
packed off in a steamer. I call it horrid of you, Mr. Virtue. You may
laugh, but I do."

Tom Virtue laughed, but he showed no signs of giving way, and ten
minutes later Mr. and Mrs. Grantham and Miss Graham took their places in
the gig, and were rowed into Southampton Harbour, off which the
_Seabird_ was lying.

The last fortnight had been a very pleasant one, and it had cost the
owner of the _Seabird_ as much as his guests to come to the conclusion