Could either have forseen even for twenty hours how different would have been the parting of the friends!
When he came into the breakfast-room he found his mother, fond and thoughtful ever, waiting at the table to see that he had his breakfast comfortably.
"Has Bert gone?" he asked.
"Yes," said Mrs. Dodson, with a little laugh. "He and your father went off together; and I was almost glad to get rid of them, for Mr. Fairfax fidgeted dreadfully."
After breakfast, Leicester, who felt anything but cheerful and high-spirited, strolled out to the cliff.
He looked down at the sea and missed the yacht from the harbor directly.
"Sailed," he thought. "All the better. I will wait until Bert comes back, and then hurrah for Afric's golden sands."
He might say "hurrah!" but he did not feel very jubilant.
With a not altogether unaccountable heaviness he sauntered down to the village.