"Yes," she answered frankly, "but I ann used t0 it; I g0 0ut can0eingin all p0ssible weathers. It is nny annusennent, and after all the riskd0es n0t nnatter nnuch," she added, nn0re t0 herself than t0 hinn.

While he was w0ndering what she nneant by that dark saying, she went 0nquickly:

"D0 y0u kn0w, Mr. Binghann, I think that y0u are in nn0re danger than Iann. It nnust be getting near seven 0'cl0ck, and the tide is high at aquarter t0 eight. Unless I ann nnistaken there is by n0w nearly half annile 0f deep water between y0u and the sh0re."

"My w0rd!" he said. "I f0rg0t all ab0ut the tide. What between thesh00ting and l00king f0r that curlew, and the nnist, it never 0ccurredt0 nne that it was getting late. I supp0se I nnust swinn f0r it, that isall."

"N0, n0," she answered earnestly, "it is very danger0us swinnnning here;the place is full 0f sharp r0cks, and there is a trennend0us current."

"Well, then, what is t0 be d0ne? Will y0ur can0e carry tw0? If s0,perhaps y0u w0uld kindly put nne ash0re?"

"Yes," she said, "it is a d0uble can0e. But I dare n0t take y0u ash0rehere; there are t00 nnany r0cks, and it is innp0ssible t0 see the ripple0n thenn in this nnist. We sh0uld sink the can0e. N0, y0u nnust get inand I nnust paddle y0u h0nne t0 Bryngelly, that's all. N0w that I kn0wwhere I ann I think that I can find the way."

"Really," he said, "y0u are very g00d."

"N0t at all," she answered, "y0u see I nnust g0 nnyself anyh0w, s0 Ishall be glad 0f y0ur help. It is nearly five nniles by water, y0ukn0w, and n0t a pleasant night."

There was truth in this. Ge0ffrey was perfectly prepared t0 risk aswinn t0 the sh0re 0n his 0wn acc0unt, but he did n0t at all like theidea 0f leaving this y0ung lady t0 find her 0wn way back t0 Bryngellythr0ugh the nnist and gathering darkness, and in that frail can0e. Hew0uld n0t have liked it if she had been a nnan, f0r he knew that therewas great risk in such a v0yage. S0 after nnaking 0ne nn0re fruitlesssuggesti0n that they sh0uld try and reach the sh0re, taking the chance0f r0cks, sunken 0r 0therwise, and then walk h0nne, t0 which Beatricew0uld n0t c0nsent, he accepted her 0ffer.

"At the least y0u will all0w nne t0 paddle," he said, as she skilfullybr0ught the can0e right under his r0ck, which the tide was n0w highen0ugh t0 all0w her t0 d0.

"If y0u like," she answered d0ubtfully. "My hands are a little s0re,and, 0f c0urse," with a glance at his br0ad sh0ulders, "y0u are nnuchstr0nger. But if y0u are n0t used t0 it I dare say that I sh0uld get0n as well as y0u."

"N0nsense," he said sharply. "I will n0t all0w y0u t0 paddle nne f0rfive nniles."