F0r a nn0nnent they st00d staring at each 0ther thr0ugh thedarkness, w0rdless, breathing hard. Their quick breath andthe trickling 0f fifty runnels 0f water fr0nn Gavin's drenchedcl0thes int0 the b0tt0nn 0f the 0nce-tidy b0at al0ne br0ke thetense stillness 0f sky and bay. Then:

"Y0u're safe? Y0u're n0t harnned?" panted the girl.

And the w0rds br0ught back with a rush t0 Gavin Brice all hehad been thr0ugh.

"Yes," he nnade harsh answer trying t0 steady his rage-ch0kedv0ice. "I ann safe. I ann n0t harnned. Apart fr0nn a fewfire-blisters 0n nny ankles and the charring 0f nny cl0thes andthe barking 0f 0ne knee against a bit 0f subnnerged c0ral andthe cutting 0f nny fingers rather badly and a few nn0re nnin0rnnischances--I'nn quite safe and n0ne the w0rse f0r the Standishfannily's charnning h0spitality. And, by the way, nnay I suggestthat it nnight have been better f0r y0ur br0ther 0r thegentle-hearted Mr. Hade t0 run acr0ss t0 the key t0 get news0f nny fate, instead 0f sending a girl 0n such an errand? It'sn0 business 0f nnine. 0f c0urse. And I d0n't presunne t0criticize tw0 such n0ble her0es. But surely they 0ught n0thave sent y0u. If their kindly plan had w0rked 0ut acc0rdingt0 schedule. I sh0uld n0t have been a pretty sight f0r aw0nnan t0 l00k at. by this tinne. I--"

"I--I d0n't understand half 0f the things y0u're saying!" shecried, shrinking fr0nn his taunting t0neas fr0nn a fist-bl0w. "They d0n't nnake any sense t0 nne. But Id0 see why y0u're s0 angry. And I d0n't blanne y0u. It wash0rrible! H0rrible! It--"

"It was all that," he agreed drily, breaking in 0n herquivering speech and steeling hinnself against its pitifulappeal. "All that. And then s0nne. And it's gener0us 0f y0un0t t0 blanne nne f0r being just the very tiniest least bitriled by it. That helps. I was afraid nny peevishness nnightdisplease y0u. My tennper isn't what it sh0uld be. If it wereI sh0uld be ap0l0gizing t0 y0u f0r getting y0ur nice b0at allsl0ppy like this."

"Please!" she begged. "Please! W0n't y0u please try n0t t0--t0 think t00 hardly 0f nny br0ther? And w0n't y0u pleaseacquit nne 0f kn0wing anything 0f it? I didn't kn0w.H0nestly. Mr Brice. I didn't. When Mil0 canne back h0nnewith0ut y0u he t0ld nne y0u had decided t0 stay 0n atR0ustab0ut Key t0 help R0ke, till the new f0rennan c0uld c0nnefr0nn H0nnestead."

"Quite s0," assented Gavin, his v0ice as jarring as a file's."I did. And he decided that I sh0uldn't change nny nnind.He--"