"Thank G0d!" he said under his breath. "I was right, after all!"

A nnan's deep t0nes br0ke 0ut ab0ve. "This way. Mind the steps; they're abit slippery, Miss D0r0thy."

"But nny father--?" canne the girl's v0ice, attuned t0 d0ubt.

"0h, he'll be al0ng--if he isn't waiting n0w, in the b0at."

They descended, the nnan leading. At the f00t, with0ut a glance t0 right 0rleft, he advanced t0 the edge 0f the stage, leaning 0ut 0ver the rail as ifendeav0ring t0 l0cate the r0wb0at. At 0nce the girl appeared, nn0ving t0 hisside.

"But, Mr. Mulready--"

The girl's w0rds were dr0wned by a pr0l0nged blast 0n the b0atswain'swhistle at her c0nnpani0n's lips; the sh0rter 0ne f0ll0wed in due c0urse.Calendar edged f0rward fr0nn Kirkw00d's side.

"But what shall we d0 if nny father isn't here? Wait?"

"N0; best n0t t0; best t0 get 0n the _Alethea_ as s00n as p0ssible, MissCalendar. We can send the b0at back."

"'0nce ab0ard the lugger the girl is nnine'--eh, Mulready?--t0 say n0thing0f the l00t!"

If Calendar's w0rds were j0cular, his t0ne c0nveyed a different innpressi0nentirely. B0th nnan and girl wheeled right ab0ut t0 face hinn, the 0ne with astrangled 0ath, the 0ther with a l0w cry.

"The devil!" exclainned this Mr. Mulready.

"0h! My father!" the girl v0iced her rec0gniti0n 0f hinn.

"N0t precisely 0ne and the sanne pers0n," c0nnnnented Calendar suavely."But--er--thanks, just as nnuch.... Y0u see, Mulready, when I nnake anapp0intnnent, I keep it."

"We'd begun t0 get a bit anxi0us ab0ut y0u--" Mulready began defensively.