All faces looked relieved by the idea—the three other faces I mean. But as its tendency was to fasten a certain measure of responsibility upon myself, I thought it better to become indignant.
"I don't know why you say I must have done it," I answered hastily. "I never touched the boat; what should I touch it for, it wasn't mine; you didn't make it for me. I told Aleck I hadn't touched it."
"Master Willie, Master Willie," expostulated Groves, "don't be angry; I only thought you might have been up to a bit of fun, and I was mistaken."
"Then, George—O George!" exclaimed my cousin, grasping him by the arm, "she must have gone out to sea;" and he tried hard to gulp down his feelings; "you know the harbour-bar is down."
"And I should like to know how it came to be down," said George, severely. A new idea evidently passed all in a moment through my cousin's mind. With a fiery flashing in his eyes that I had never seen in him before, he turned suddenly upon me.
"You naughty, wicked boy," he said.
"You didn't touch the boat you say; but you didn't like my having it; you didn't like its being mine, because it was better than yours, and had two masts; and so you let down the bar, and—and she's got out to sea and is lost!" And so saying he burst into a passionate fit of tears.
It is difficult to say which of us was the most surprised by this unlooked-for accusation of Aleck's. I had never seen my cousin in such a temper before, but was far too conscious of the wrong part I had acted to be able at once to answer with a protest of innocence. So that in the very short space of time which was occupied by George telling Aleck the case was not hopeless, and the vessel might be found yet, and that he'd be sorry for the wrong words he had said to me, a rapid controversy passed silently between me and my conscience somewhat in this wise:—
Conscience.—"You know that what he said is true about your not liking his having the schooner, and you know you wanted it to get lost." Answer.—"But I can say with perfect truth that I did not touch it or the rope."
Conscience.—"You know if you had called off Frisk the schooner would not have been lost." Answer.—"But I never saw Frisk unloose the ring; and I can say, with truth, that until just now I did not know that it was not safe."