"I do believe it's Mrs. Bosher's brother!"
"Over! over!" bawled the man, as if hailing a ferry-boat.
"Well, if that ain't a joke! I ain't the ferry. Here you, Phil, jump into the Fairy and go and see what that man wants."
So Phil played the part of the ferry and brought Mrs. Bosher's brother to the lock-eyot.
He told his story. The previous evening he had met a young girl in the wood, and as it was private property, he had warned her out of it. Afterwards he found that she had gone to his sister's house, evidently a runaway, and had engaged herself as a general servant. But Mrs. Bosher, who was one that never took no rest, never even took off her bonnet, saw through that girl, and knew right well that she had come from the Littlebourne side of the river; and perhaps Mrs. Rowles could state what family had lost a little maid-servant.
Yes, Mrs. Rowles could tell him all about Juliet; and after giving him some breakfast sent him back in the Fairy to his own side of the river, with a request that Mrs. Bosher would take Juliet to the station, where someone would meet the tiresome girl and convey her to her home in London.
The big man promised to do all this, and went out with Rowles intending to have a pipe and a gossip with him, when down came a boat rowed by Leonard Burnet, and steered by the old master-printer; and so the gossip was cut short, though not the pipe.
"I am not going through," said Mr. Burnet from the boat. "Help me to land, Rowles; I want to have a talk with you. Who is that man?" looking at the big person who had just gone off in the little Fairy.
"Oh, that is Mrs. Bosher's brother. I hope you are well, sir, and the young gentleman; likewise Mr. Robert."
"Yes, thanks, Leonard and I are very well; but Roberts has a smart touch of rheumatism, and will not come on the river to-day. May I sit here, Rowles?" added Mr. Burnet, pointing to a seat under some small trees.