"Where?" demanded the major, looking about.
"The young lady to whom you just avoided introducing me."
"It's rather a remarkable coincidence," said the major, avoiding controversy, "that I should run across a relation in this far-away place!"
"Very!" Reggy replied drily. "Family's fond of travel, I take it."
A tall, well-knit young subaltern elbowed his way through the crowd and joined the pair. Reggy greeted him:
"Better come and have dinner with your brother and me, Tom. I feel he needs good company and a chaperon or two!"
The trio entered the rotunda of the Royal.
A distinguished looking gentleman and a prepossessing lady of middle age stood chatting together. Their voices were agitated, and the three officers could not avoid overhearing snatches of the conversation.
"He is on the Cassandra, and in this medley of ships no one seems to know where his is anchored," the man was saying.
"Dear me," sighed the lady. "To think that our boy should be so near and that we should not be able to see him! It's dreadful!"